WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & SportsAnother auto supplier coming to TN Valley?
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By Paul Shahen
CLEVELAND, BRADLEY COUNTY, TN (WRCB)-- The Tennessee Valley could become the home of another international manufacturer.
A company with ties to the automotive industry is scouting locations in Cleveland and Bradley County.
It all started with an advertisement in Sunday's Chattanooga Times Free Press. Someone is searching for a new project manager who is fluent in Korean and has auto experience.
Doug Berry of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce doesn't know who, what, or if there will be a new auto plant in Cleveland, but he does know he'll welcome it with open arms.
"This area can grow, even during this downturn, we're demonstrating that," says Berry.
Right now, it's just speculation, but Berry says because of the ad's qualification requirements, it's hard not to wonder if two of Korea's best car companies don't have something to do with it.
"We do have Hyundai and Kia within a 3 hour drive of here. That would be suitable for the supply chain in the automotive industry," says Berry.
Berry says it would also make sense, because he can see companies like that trying to keep up with VW in our market.
As the Vice President of Economic Development, he has not been contacted by any manufactures yet, but says not everything has to start with the Chamber of Commerce.
"There are plenty of people with the skills to help them, they save their time with us to the end, so they can work out an incentive package," says Berry.
Whatever this turns out to be, the Chamber of Commerce can't help but thank VW for what they've done so far. They say it's possible deals like this make for a much healthier economy.
"If you look at Cleveland, Bradley County, Hamilton County, Chattanooga. We're two of the first economies in the state to be designated 'recovering economies' from the recession, and it's because of these activities," says Berry.
Berry also said that if this ad becomes what the speculations point at, it could be a while before we know.
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