PELL CITY — More than 100 people attended Wednesday’s grand opening and official ribbon cutting ceremony of the new WKW Erbsloeh North American Inc. plant in Pell City’s Industrial Park.
“It’s a Red Letter Day for Pell City, St. Clair County and the state of Alabama,” said Seth Hammett, D-Andalusia, speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives. “Welcome to sweet home Alabama.”
State and local officials were on hand for the WKW Erbsloeh’s first North American plant opening. WKW Erbsloeh is a worldwide automotive supplier of steel, aluminum and plastic automobile parts.
Monika Kocks, marketing director for WKW Erbsloeh, said the first North American plant in Pell City will initially produce aluminum parts for the Mercedes plant in Vance and the Volkswagen plant in Mexico, but in 2009, the new plant in Pell City will also start producing parts for BMW.
“We have additional space to expand, depending on how our business goes in the U.S.,” Kocks said.
She said the new plant will begin production in July and will actually start delivering products from the Pell City plant by October.
“This newest plant speaks volumes about the success we’re experiencing in Alabama,” Hammett said. “It’s all about partnerships.”
Hammett presented Gert Mayer, owner and managing partner of WKW, with a plaque of the Great Seal of Alabama.
Mayer thanked those in attendance at the grand opening, which included a short program, tour and lunch.
“Many people worked countless hours to see this project through,” Mayer said, adding the $30 million investment in the Pell City plant is an investment for a successful future of WKW Erbsloeh.
Mayor Adam Stocks said the $30 million investment by WKW Erbsloeh, which will eventually provide 300 new jobs in Pell City, couldn’t have been possible without the complete support of local and state officials.
He said WKW Erbsloeh is a reputable company with 4,000 employees worldwide.
“That’s about one-third the population of Pell City,” Stocks said. “This is a very large, respectable company.”
He said the company will provide good paying jobs for local people.
“We’re proud to have you here,” Stocks said. “Mr. Mayer, we thank you so much for coming to Pell City. … It’s a great day in Pell City.”
Linda Swann, assistant director of the Alabama Development Office in Montgomery, who attended the grand opening on behalf of Gov. Bob Riley, welcomed WKW Erbsloeh officials.
“We welcome you to Alabama,” Swann said. “You were important to us when we started recruiting you, and now you’re even more important to us since you have become an Alabama partner.”
Dr. Uwe Gohrbandt, chairman of the board of WKW Erbsloeh North America Inc., said the new WKW Erbsloeh North American plant sits on about 21 acres, which will provide room for growth.
WKW Erbsloeth initially broke ground at the Pell City site Nov. 29, 2006.
Gohrbandt said the 130,000 square foot facility will initially employ about 100 workers and eventually will employ about 300.
He pointed out Mayer’s birthday was Monday. Mayer’s wife, Susanna’s, birthday was Wednesday, the day of the grand opening.
“I can’t think of a better birthday present than opening a new plant in Alabama,” Gohrbandt said.
He said WKW Erbsloeh officials believed there could be a shift in the automobile industry in North America, and their company wanted to be a part of it.
“Factories are closing in the North and new, modern ones are setting up here, in the heart of the automotive industry of the future,” Gohrbandt said.