Gov. Robert Bentley and Sen. Billy Beasley, (D)-Clayton, were joined by other state and local officials for the groundbreaking of the Teasung manufacturing plant in Shorter, Ala., on Friday, signaling the start of what economic developers hope will be jobs growth in one of the state’s most economically depressed areas.

Teasung Alabama is expected to bring 70 news jobs to the area by the end of 2015. The $6.6 million dollar facility will make injection-molded plastic products for automotive manufacturers like Hyundai and Kia.

The Shorter plant will be the first North America manufacturing plant for Taseung, which is based in South Korea. The new plant will be located near another automotive supplier, Halla Climate Systems Alabama, which builds air conditioning parts.

“Recruiting industry is a cooperative effort,” Gov. Bentley said. “It doesn’t start from the state down, it starts with the hard work of local governments.”

Gov. Bentley reported that Alabama is currently fifth in the nation for automotive production, and on the rise.

“Alabama is the automobile mecca of the South, maybe the U.S.,” Sen Beasley added. “We just need the opportunity in Macon County to show people what we can do.”

Taesung executives were also on hand for Friday’s groundbreaking, and said they want Taesung Alabama to be a staple in the local community, creating an environment in which their employees’ children will grow up wanting to work for Taesung.

The U.S. Department of Labor reported Macon County had an unemployment rate of 8.6% in October.

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