By Ed Enoch - Opelika-Auburn News
Korean auto-parts supplier Seung Chang Airtek Inc. officially opened its second Auburn facility Tuesday during a ceremony in the city’s industrial park on Pumphrey Avenue.
SCA executives said the new facility, which will produce foam and other sound and vibration dampening materials, is part of ongoing growth within the company, which was founded in 2004. The company has an existing facility for injection-molded parts in the city’s north technology park.
“We are very excited to launch our new foam business,” SCA President Daniel Yu said.
CEO Man Hong Park said he is confident the business will grow as it continues to supply Korean and American automakers with injection-molded plastic parts.
Auburn Economic Development director Phillip Dunlap said the new facility is occupying an existing building that was formerly a small machinist company. Dunlap said the city’s Industrial Development Board is leasing the facility, which is approximately 22,000 square feet, to SCA.
Dunlap said the company would have the ability to grow at the site, noting SCA was predicted to employ 400 citywide when its operations are fully ramped up.
“Obviously, this company has a goal to expand their base, their footprint in the U.S.,” Dunlap said.
Dick Phelan of the Auburn City Council said the facility would employ approximately 25 to 50 once it was ramped up. Phelan said the new positions will add to the city’s manufacturing base, which employs approximately 5,000.
SCA is the second industrial ribbon-cutting in a week for the city. On Thursday, Korean plastics maker HPM Alabama Corp. opened its new facility in Auburn Technology Park North, across the street from SCA’s injection-molded parts facility.