Tennessee ranks No. 1 in automotive manufacturing | Nooga.com

Volkswagen's ramp-up is one of the reasons Tennessee ranks high in automotive manufacturing. (Photo: Staff)

For the third consecutive year, Business Facilities, a national economic development publication, ranked Tennessee No. 1 for automotive manufacturing strength.?

Tennessee ranked in the top 10 in economic growth potential, job growth, business and education climate, transportation infrastructure, data center hubs, and Race to the Top, according to a news release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.?

?Our strategic focus on the automotive sector has yielded a substantial return for Tennessee and created a magnet for growth, as Tennessee?s many strategic advantages make our state the most compelling location for business expansions and relocations in the U.S.,? Bill Hagerty, commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said in a prepared statement.?

Jack Rogers, editor-in-chief of?Business Facilities, said that the state's success has been fueled by a national revival in the automotive sector. The state's assembly lines and suppliers continue to get "bigger and better," he also said.?

"VW is ramping up production at its new plant in Chattanooga, Nissan is rolling out the all-electric Leaf in Smyrna and General Motors has given a new mission to the former Saturn plant in Spring Hill," he said in a prepared statement. "The Volunteer State is putting the pedal to the metal as our undisputed automotive king."

A recent CNBC study ranked Tennessee No. 16 in best business states, and a Huffington Post article from last week highlighted transportation problems in Chattanooga.?

The complete 2012 rankings report will be featured in Business Facilities? July/August issue and be available online in late July.?

Source: http://www.nooga.com/156267/tennessee-ranks-no-1-in-automotive-manufacturing/

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