automotive suppliers
The state of Tennessee ranks #1 nationally in automotive manufacturing for the 3rd year in a row according to Business Facilities Magazine and home to more than 1,000 automotive suppliers.
- Volkswagen’s new Southeast/Global Distribution Center is being built in Roane County.
- Foreign automotive OEMs are continuing to experience growth in the United States, especially in the Southern part of the country.
- Volkswagen is operating its new manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee - less than 100 miles from Roane County.
- Within a 30-mile radius of the Roane County center, there is a workforce of more than 324,000.
WHY ROANE COUNTY?
Located within 300 miles of 11 OEMs and the site of Volkswagen’s Southeast/Global Distribution Center, Roane County has the transportation infrastructure to provide an ideal base for automotive suppliers with its strong manufacturing presence and a workforce with manufacturing-related skills, low cost of doing business, affordable and reliable electricity provided by TVA and a location in a right-to-work state. These are just a few of the reasons why Roane County is the perfect location for automotive suppliers.
Market Proximity
Volkswagen Group of America chose Roane County to build their Southeast/Global Distribution Center. Volkswagen is operating a new manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which is less than 100 miles from Roane County.
It is estimated that up to 9,500 indirect supplier, construction and other related jobs could be created to support Volkswagen’s facility.
Available and Affordable Buildings and Sites
Roane County has a number of available sites which range in size from 3.82 acres to 1,080 acres that may be suitable for automotive suppliers. The county also has a number of buildings available, which range in size from 2,265 square feet to nearly 1.5 million square feet, that may be suitable for automotive suppliers.
Skilled and Available Workforce
Roane County has a total labor force of more than 26,000 workers. Within a 30-mile radius of the county center, there is a workforce of more than 324,000.
An estimated 20.4 percent of the workforce in Roane County is employed in manufacturing providing a workforce with related skills. Some 50 skilled workers a year are graduating from a new and unique intensive advanced manufacturing training (AMTEC).
Transportation Infrastructure
Roane County is located on Interstate 40 and has nine exits off the interstate. The county is also within close proximity of Interstate 75. Roane County is served by Norfolk Southern Railroad.
Roane County has three navigable rivers including the Clinch River, the Emory River, and the Tennessee River, and there are also four river terminals or barge facilities in the count.
Educational Resources
University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT-Knoxville)
Roane County is located within 30 minutes of UT-Knoxville. UT-Knoxville’s 11 colleges have a faculty of more than 1,400 and offer more than 300 degree programs. Colleges and schools that may be of interest to automotive suppliers include: business administration; communications and information; and engineering.
Roane State Community College (RSCC)
RSCC, headquartered in Harriman, has an enrollment of more than 6,200 students. It is ranked #1 among community colleges in the state and 27th in nation.
RSCC offers Associates of Arts and Associates of Applied Science degree programs, as well as technical certificates. Degree programs of interest to automotive suppliers include Associates of Science degree programs with concentrations in: business administration, chemistry, computer science, and pre-engineering.
In addition, there are Associates of Applied Science Degree programs in: business management technology (with options in accounting, business administration, business management, computer science, e-commerce, general business and office administration.
The Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman
The Tennessee Technology Center at Harriman provides technical instruction and skill training in eight technology programs including automotive technology, diesel powered equipment technology, industrial maintenance technology, machine tool technology, and welding technology.
Tennessee Technology Center also provides customized industry training to meet the individual and job-specific training needs of business and industry.
Low Cost of Doing Business
Tennessee is ranked 21st on Forbes 2011 list of “The Best States for Business.” CNBC’s 2011 “Top States for Doing Business” report ranked Tennessee as the state with the 18th lowest cost of doing
business.
From a tax perspective, on the 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index, prepared by the Tax Foundation on how state tax systems compare, the state of Tennessee ranks 27th overall.
Pro-Business, non-union environment
Tennessee is a right-to-work state and most foreign-owned automotive OEMs and suppliers prefer to locate in a right-to-work state where unions are not as prevalent. Roane County has a low percentage of union activity.
Adequate electrical capacity and Reliability
TVA is the largest public power provider in the United States. TVA provides reliable and competitively priced power to 56 directly served accounts and 155 power distributors that serve approximately nine million consumers in seven southeastern states. For the tenth year in a row, TVA’s transmission system delivered power to customers with 99.999% reliability.
Average Annual Wages (2001-2011)
Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing
