GADSDEN– Minth Group Limited and the City of Gadsden broke ground Monday on a $430 million automotive manufacturing campus at a former steel mill site.
The international automotive supplier plans to develop the 400-acre property formerly occupied by Republic Steel and Gulf States Steel. The company says the project will create more than 1,300 jobs.
The Gadsden development will have the largest land footprint of any Minth campus worldwide.
Largest Minth Campus Planned in Gadsden
Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford called the groundbreaking another step forward for the city and Minth.
“This groundbreaking is another exciting step into the future for both Gadsden and Minth,” Ford said.
“We’re continuing to raise the quality of life around the city with riverfront development and projects like the Gadsden Athletic Center, and Minth is a cornerstone for jobs and industry,” Ford said. “We’re thrilled to have them as part of our community.”
Minth Group CEO Esther Chin said the groundbreaking represents an important milestone in the company’s growth.
“What started as a family business has now grown to be one of the top 100 auto suppliers in the world,” Chin said.
“Today we celebrate a new milestone, breaking ground on what is the largest land footprint Minth has globally,” Chin said. “Gadsden is now part of the Minth family and we couldn’t be more excited to make this a flagship location for our growth in the United States.”
Former Steel Site Moves Toward New Manufacturing
The City of Gadsden first announced the Minth project in March. At that time, city officials described the property as a 400-acre brownfield site.
The campus is expected to include nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing space. Minth plans to renovate and expand portions of the former steel mill.
The company will produce plastic and aluminum automotive components at the Gadsden facility. Those products will serve automakers’ U.S. plants, including Hyundai in Montgomery and Kia in West Point, Georgia.
Minth is based in Taiwan and specializes in automotive trim and structural components. The company had 78 plants worldwide when Gadsden announced the project in March.
Minth’s American operations are part of Minth North America Inc. The company’s regional headquarters are in Wixom, Michigan, with additional operations in Michigan and Tennessee.
City officials previously said the project would create hundreds of jobs during its initial development. Employment could eventually reach as many as 1,325 positions.
The city also said average annual wages for the new positions should exceed $49,000.
Five businesses already operating at the former steel mill site will continue their operations, according to the city’s earlier announcement.
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