Heiche Surface Technologies, a company that specializes in sophisticated metal coatings for car parts and industrial uses, is building a plant in Jasper that will employ over 70 workers.
The company’s main customers are expected to be automakers and auto parts suppliers.
News of the plant was announced Tuesday afternoon by the office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, who described the company as “a welcome addition to the automotive supply chain emerging” across Alabama.
Heiche’s facility will be over 100,000 square feet when finished. It will be located in Jasper Industrial Park at the southeast corner of the city and two miles from Interstate 22.
Construction on the factory is set to begin soon with operations slated to begin in October 2021.
Jasper is located within 250 miles of 11 major automotive assembly plants in the southeast, a number that will increase soon when the massive Mazda-Toyota plant in Huntsville finishes construction.
Four other automotive suppliers already have a presence in Jasper, all of which are extensions of Japanese companies while the plant announced Tuesday is German.
“Close location to the biggest players in the automotive industry, hospitality of the local authorities, and great infrastructure are some of the key aspects, which resulted in our decision for this location,” said Jürgen Werner, a high ranking executive at Heiche’s parent company.
The Jasper plant will be Heiche’s second location in the United States. The company opened a location in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in 2013 and maintains several facilities in Germany, Hungary and Poland.
“Along with new jobs in Jasper, Heiche will bring new expertise and advanced technological capabilities to the state’s increasingly dynamic auto industry,” noted Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield. “We welcome them as a partner.”
Talks between Heiche and local officials about bringing a plant to the Walker County area were ongoing for four months before Tuesday’s announcement.
Jasper Mayor David O’Mary said, “Job growth is the very core of growing a city and on behalf of all in city government we are pleased with the decision by Heiche to locate in Jasper.”
“The cooperation between the state, local leaders, industrial boards, utilities and regional allies was critical to the successful recruitment of Heiche,” remarked David Knight, executive director of the Walker County Development Authority.
State Senator Greg Reed (R-Jasper), who represents the area in which Heiche is building the facility, said in a statement Tuesday, “I applaud all involved in bringing this project to our area.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
