Assembly lines and state-of-the-art technologies
Polaris said Huntsville, Ala. was an ideal location for its 600,000-square-foot facility because of the city’s skilled workforce, a history of technology and innovation, existing utility infrastructure, and local and state support.
“This new facility will complement our already strong and growing North American manufacturing footprint by reducing pressure on our existing facilities and enable each to remain focused on their current product lines as we continue to meet the demand for our innovative, quality products,” said Ken Pucel, a Polaris executive vice president.
The company, which had sales in 2013 of $3.8 billion, manufactures off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles, and side-by-side vehicles. It owns the Victory and Indian motorcycle brands, and it is actively advancing the development of electric/hybrid powered vehicles.
“Alabama’s success in advanced manufacturing is a result of the state’s successful Accelerate Alabama plan, and Polaris’ off-road vehicle production strategy fits perfectly within our manufacturing goals,” said Governor Robert Bentley.
Polaris said the Alabama manufacturing facility will feature multiple assembly lines and state-of-the-art technologies. It will support core processes including vehicle assembly, chassis and body painting, welding, fabrication and injection molding.
A number of agencies teamed with the Commerce Department and the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County on the Polaris recruitment, known as “Project Axle.” AIDT, a division of the Commerce Department that serves as the state’s job-training agency, will assist the company is assembling and preparing its workforce. The Tennessee Valley Authority assisted in the project, as did the cities of Athens and Decatur, along with several government agencies in Morgan and Limestone counties.