Volkswagen Awards WWL Contract For Chattanooga Facility
05 April 2010 - Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey, USA - Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), a global leader in factory-to-dealer logistics, has been awarded the vehicle processing and yard management business at Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations new plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The new contract will lead to increased employment opportunities in the south eastern Tennessee region.
WWL plans to hire up to an estimated 80 employees in order to expand plant operations and meet the facility’s operational capacity. This is in addition to 171 employees at WWL’s Smyrna, Tennessee, location.
WWL will provide the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant with outbound yard management and vehicle processing services, including technical services and value added accessory installation, vehicle releasing, distribution and rail loading.
Production is expected to begin in the first half of 2011. The plant has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 units annually. A new mid-sized sedan (NMS) will be manufactured at the facility.
John Felitto, Executive Vice President and Deputy Head of Region Americas at Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, says, “WWL is honored and excited to expand its partnership with Volkswagen. Not only does the Chattanooga plant business present WWL with an opportunity to bring the highest quality vehicle processing and yard management services to the Volkswagen brand; it also offers the opportunity to create jobs and give the community a much-needed economic boost.”
“The vehicle processing and yard management operations are a crucial aspect of the production process and we are pleased to have WWL as experienced partners on this exciting new project in Chattanooga,” says Frank Fischer, CEO and Chairman of Volkswagen’s Chattanooga operations.
WWL provides Volkswagen with supply chain management services in South Africa, as well as ocean transportation services in Europe, Oceania and Africa. WWL manages operations at eight other North American automotive assembly plants.