Auto supplier Shinhwa to invest $78 million in second Alabama facility

Shinhwa Auto USA Corp. is adding a second auto parts manufacturing facility in Auburn, Alabama, as part of a $78 million growth project that will create 42 jobs over the next three years. The company will build a new 400,000-square-foot factory across from its existing location in Auburn Technology Park West. 
“This new facility will give us greater capacity for aluminum automotive parts, including both die casting and machining operations, allowing us to further diversify our customer base,” said Shinhwa Group Founder and CEO Kwi Hyun Lee. “This increased capacity will give us the ability to provide greater support for the electric vehicle market here in the U.S.”

The current Auburn facility supplies parts to Hyundai’s assembly plant in Montgomery and Kia’s plant in West Point, Georgia. 

“This is a great example of the constant innovation and advancements in manufacturing––particularly in the automotive sector––right here in Alabama,” said Gov. Kay Ivey, whose press office made the announcement. “With this expansion, Shinhwa will have invested over $190 million and created more than 185 well-paying jobs since choosing Auburn as their first U.S. location.”

The new factory represents the second major expansion launched by Shinhwa since beginning operations in Auburn three years ago. In November 2021, the company announced the addition of high-pressure aluminum die casting and post-processing equipment through a $42 million expansion project.