MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Governor Bill Haslam traveled to Germany Monday to attend festivities surrounding the announcement that Volkswagen will add a second vehicle production line at its plant in Chattanooga.
The Tennessean reports VW will hire 2000 additional assembly workers to build a new crossover vehicle at the Chattanooga facility. The company also says it will open a design and research facility in Tennessee. The project reportedly involves more than $600 million in new investments.
Just last week, the United Auto Workers union announced that it had reached what it label a “consensus” with Volkswagen to represent the Chattanooga plant’s workforce on the German automaker’s international works council.
The production model Volkswagen employees at its plants worldwide allows workers to participate in the company’s decision making process.
Earlier this year, a number of senior Tennessee Republicans, including Governor Haslam, warned that allowing the UAW access to the Chattanooga plant might scuttle millions of dollars in state incentives VW said it needed to launch the new line.
VW hopes to have the new crossover vehicle rolling off its Tennessee production line by 2016.