[car fanatics]

Hyundai
Photo credit: Hyundai
May 2, 2012
By: CF staff

Strategy will increase 2012 production capacity by 20,000 units

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, LLC (HMMA) today announced plans to add a third shift of production at its Montgomery facility. HMMA will add 877 positions to support the addition of the third shift bringing the total number of jobs created at the plant to more than 3,000. HMMA’s 2012 production capacity will increase by approximately 20,000 units.

“The continued success of Hyundai’s Sonata and Elantra in North America is a direct reflection of the dedication to quality and craftsmanship by every HMMA team member,” said Young Deuk Lim, HMMA president and chief executive officer. “This commitment is the key reason Hyundai Motor Company chose to continue to invest in the people of Alabama and increase vehicle production in Montgomery.”

The transition to three shifts will begin in September 2012. Job applications and pre-employment training will begin this summer. The hiring process will be facilitated by Alabama Industrial Development Training (AIDT). The increased volume at HMMA will also create more jobs at nearby suppliers.

HMMA began producing the newly redesigned Sonata in December 2009, and the sedan has consistently been Hyundai’s best-selling vehicle. The Alabama-built Sonata represents 33 percent of Hyundai’s U.S. sales. The newly redesigned Elantra has been assembled at HMMA since October 2010 and, together with production from Korea, represents 31 percent of Hyundai’s U.S. sales. Canadian sales of the Sonata and Elantra account for more than 14 percent of HMMA’s annual production.

Hyundai Motor America sales were up 20 percent during 2011. The announcement of additional U.S. production capacity comes as Hyundai's U.S. sales broke an all-time sales record in March 2012. Through March 2012, sales of the Sonata and Elantra sedans have already seen year-over-year sales increase of six percent and eight percent, respectively, which is above the record levels set during 2011.

[BasiliskSt]

Both the Sonata and Elantra appear to be doing very well in the marketplace. U.S. production surely helps guard against currency fluctuations and gives Hyundai a redundant supply chain in the U.S. as an alternative to their Korean/Asian base. Japan's tsunami experience illustrated the value of redundancy. Single link supply chains are vulnerable. Good news for Alabama. Nice looking plant. Has anyone toured it?