Iron castings maker Thyssen Krupp Waupaca is to invest $US162m to expand its Etowah, Tennessee facility, adding 100 jobs (to 600) and doubling the footprint of the plant which produces grey and ductile iron castings for vehicles.

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The expansion will add a new production line and grow the company’s presence in the Knoxville-Oak Ridge Innovation Valley’s auto supply sector. Currently, 20% of the manufacturing workforce in this area is employed in auto supply.


The announcement marks the fourth recent expansion by an auto supplier in the region. In August, Aisin announced a $67m expansion of its Clinton, Tennessee facility. That followed earlier expansions by Denso, Eagle Bend and Australian brake parts maker PBR.


“In an economy that has seen casting technology moving off-shore, we are bringing a solid basis for renewing the technology capability in America,” said Gary Gigante, president and CEO of Thyssen Krupp Waupaca.


The 16-county Innovation Valley region has evolved into a high tech centre for practical, automotive research.

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Last May, four high profile local institutions – Tennessee Valley Authority, University of Tennessee (UT), Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL) and the National Transportation Research Centre – unveiled the Automotive Research Alliance, a new initiative supporting the auto industry.


ORNL and UT are also heavily involved in Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen’s push to make the state a world leader in biofuel research and production.