Motus Integrated Technologies, a Tier 1 supplier of automotive interior products to the world’s automakers, has selected Gadsden as the location for its new manufacturing facility, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today.
Motus will invest more than $15 million and create 90 jobs at the facility, which will manufacture interior automotive parts and headliners.
Working closely with the state of Alabama and local leaders, Motus conducted an exhaustive search for its new plant location before deciding to build in Etowah County’s largest city. The site is close to a heavy concentration of automotive manufacturing facilities within the region, and several current and potential customers.
“Motus is a premier global automotive supplier and we are thrilled that they have selected the state of Alabama and Gadsden as the site for their new facility,” Ivey said.
“We’re excited to partner with the company as they invest millions into a new manufacturing plant in Gadsden and create 90 new jobs. This is yet another example of how Alabama continues to lead the way in growing manufacturing here at home,” she added.
Growth trends
Those 90 jobs will have an anticipated average wage of more than $20 per hour. Motus committed to invest $15 million in construction of the Gadsden facility and related technology.
Motus will bring its “Safety First” culture to the plant, along with state-of-the art headliner forming, injection molding and assembly operations. Construction of the facility is scheduled to start in the coming weeks and is anticipated to be concluded in mid-2020.
“The primary mission of Alabama’s economic development team is to help high-caliber companies like Motus grow and create jobs in the state,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“Motus’ decision to locate a manufacturing plant in Gadsden is great news for the community and for the state’s expanding auto sector.”
Alabama Power helped bring the project to Gadsden.
Motus’ plans for the new Alabama facility build on powerful growth trends in the state’s auto industry. It will also allow Motus to capitalize on the rapidly growing automotive industry across the broader southeastern United States. In 2018 alone, auto manufacturing companies announced new Alabama projects involving nearly $3.3 billion in capital investment and almost 5,500 anticipated jobs.
Community partnership
Motus is a leading provider of headliners and automotive interior door and console armrests to the world’s leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier 1’s. It holds a leading market position in this sector and has one of the industry’s broadest and most technologically advanced product portfolios.
The company operates a global manufacturing platform with more than 2,000 employees operating its five facilities. Motus is a trusted employer and valued community partner, and its customer relationships average more than two decades in length.
“It was clear from the beginning of our process to find a location for this new facility that Governor Ivey, Secretary Canfield, the state of Alabama and the leaders in Gadsden wanted Motus to call their community home, and we are excited to make that happen,” said Shannon White, chief executive officer of Motus.
“Motus prides itself on ensuring the safety of our team each day, the superior quality of our products, the partnership with our community and the outstanding service we provide to our customers. This new plant will allow for each of those principles to be achieved. We cannot wait to welcome new colleagues and get to work in Gadsden.”
‘Important project’
Gadsden and area officials welcomed Motus’ plans for the facility.
“This is a great day for Gadsden, and we are proud to be able to recruit high-paying jobs and welcome an innovative company like Motus to our community and our state,” Mayor Sherman Guyton said. “This is confirmation that our ongoing investment in infrastructure, education and the Gadsden-Etowah Industrial Development Authority has enabled us to compete with other areas to land this important worldwide automotive supplier.
“We are thankful for the support and trust of Governor Ivey and Secretary Canfield, and for Motus in locating this important project in our city,” he said.
This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.
