THE SOUTHEAST HAS EMERGED AS THE DRIVING FORCE IN AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING IN THE UNITED STATES, AND TENNESSEE IS ITS ENGINE.
With more than 920 auto suppliers and the second lowest tax burden in the nation, Tennessee is the beating heart of the southern automotive corridor.
Tennessee has been Business Facilities magazine’s top state in automotive manufacturing strength five years over the last decade, thanks in large part to our highly trained workforce and their unwavering commitment to excellence.
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Tennessee’s automotive manufacturing cluster includes four major assembly plants and automotive operations in 88 of 95 counties. Nissan’s North American headquarters is in Franklin, and its plant in Smyrna is regularly the most productive in North America. With General Motors in Spring Hill, Volkswagen in Chattanooga and Ford Motor Company’s future location Haywood County, Tennessee continues to invest in training for the state’s high concentration of automotive employment, a number that’s 3.17 times the national average.
Transportation equipment is one of Tennessee’s top export – accounting for 12% of Tennessee’s total exports. In 2021, 3 percent of all U.S.-made cars, light trucks and SUVs were produced in Tennessee.
Automotive-related manufacturers in Tennessee include Hankook Tire, Bridgestone Americas , Calsonic Kansei, Magnetti Marelli, SL Tennessee, Denso Manufacturing, Yorozu Automotive, JTEKT, Mahle, and M-Tek.
Join these and other famous names in automotive manufacturing to get on the road to greater success.
QUICK FACTS
137K+
Tennesseans employed by automotive establishments
920+
Automotive establishments in Tennessee
$26+
Billion in foreign investments in Tennessee operations
#1
In the Southeast for automotive employment
800K+
Cars, light trucks and SUVs produced annually
$3.1+
Billion in automotive exports in 2021
19K+
Electric vehicles manufactured in Tennessee annually
