GOV. RILEY ANNOUNCES INDUSTRIAL EXPANSION TO CREATE 141 NEW JOBS

DATELINE: MONTGOMERY, Ala.

Gov. Bob Riley, R-Ala., issued the following news release:

Governor Bob Riley on Wednesday announced plans for a $55.6 expansion at MOBIS Alabama, a Tier-One supplier to Hyundai, that will create 141 new jobs.

A new paint facility is slated for development, in addition to significant expansions of the redistribution center, plastic injection facility and paint facility. The redistribution center and new e-coat facility will serve Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and the KIA manufacturing facility being built across the state line in Georgia. The injection facility and paint facility expansions will serve only KIA.

"When we have an existing company announce it will expand its operations, that's one of the best recruiting tools we have as a state. It sends a message to other companies that may be considering Alabama that this is a place where they can come and be successful," said Governor Riley. "MOBIS has shown great deal of confidence in our state and workforce and we will not let them down."

"This growth demonstrates our commitment to Montgomery and to the state of Alabama," said MOBIS Alabama President Soon Hwa Kim. "MOBIS' alliance with the state of Alabama, the city of Montgomery, Montgomery County and the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce continues to strengthen our community by bringing more jobs and additional capital investment. We attribute much of our success to all of the state and local officials who have made this expansion possible and appreciate your continued support."

Chamber Chairman Ed Crowell said, "I would like to recognize the incredible team of elected leaders, business and government partners, MOBIS officials and the Chamber that made the expansion possible."

Construction will begin in September 2007 on the 130,000-square-foot expansion of the redistribution center where Hyundai service parts are warehoused, repacked and shipped nationwide for the OEM after-market. At the same time MOBIS will construct a new 80,000-square-foot building for an E-coating process.

Next year, equipment additions and remodeling will begin in the Alabama plastics facility, enabling MOBIS to serve its growing manufacturing operations in the U.S. MOBIS Alabama will supply injection molded and painted bumpers to MOBIS Georgia, which will in turn support the new KIA plant. Mass production is scheduled for late 2009.

MOBIS Alabama is the largest Tier 1 supplier to Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama. The company broke ground for the Alabama plant in March 2003 and began full production in March 2005. MOBIS currently operates two shifts with 825 team members and three divisions of operation located on Mitchell Young Road, with a start-up capital investment of $115 million. The company supplies complete cockpit modules and front and rear chassis modules. In their Plastics Division, they injection mold, paint and fully assembly bumpers and instrument panels. In the Re-distribution Center they ship Hyundai Service Parts nationwide for the After Market Industry.