Hyundai workers celebrate 20th anniversary of Alabama manufacturing facility

Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA) marked the 20th anniversary of its production launch in Montgomery with a day of celebration for its employees, featuring carnival rides, games, inflatables, plant tours, prize raffles, musical entertainment and a closing fireworks display.

Since opening in 2005, HMMA has produced 6.27 million vehicles, beginning with the 2006 Hyundai Sonata. The Alabama manufacturing plant produces an average of approximately 360,000 vehicles annually for the North American market, including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Santa Fe Hybrid, Tucson and Santa Cruz, as well as the Genesis GV70 and Electrified GV70.

Throughout the past 20 years, Hyundai has invested more than $3 billion in expansions and new technologies, allowing it to produce a wide array of vehicles from sedans, pickup trucks and SUVs to hybrid and electric vehicles on the same assembly line.

Originally employing around 2,000 people, HMMA now employs approximately 4,200. Along with its suppliers, Hyundai said it has directly and indirectly created more than 40,000 jobs in Alabama.

“Our 20th anniversary marks a notable milestone worthy of celebration by all of our team members and their families,” said Chris Susock, president and CEO of HMMA. “A lot has changed since the first Sonata rolled off the line in 2005. Our technology has advanced, and our processes and models have evolved. But what hasn’t changed — and what has made the biggest difference — is the strength of this team.

“Together we have built more than vehicles and engines; we’ve built a family with a history to be proud of, on a firm foundation that many future generations of our HMMA family can learn from and build upon,” Susock said.

While the celebration was held last week, the Montgomery plant’s 20th year of production will officially be marked on May 20.

Ellen McNair, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said the automaker’s 20th anniversary celebration is an ideal time to reflect on the impact this partnership has had on Montgomery and the entire state.

“From the moment Hyundai chose Montgomery as the home for its U.S. manufacturing plant, it has been a transformational engine, providing an economic impact of well over $5 billion annually to the Alabama economy, in addition to thousands of well-paying jobs for our citizens,” she said. “As someone who had the privilege of working alongside the dedicated team that helped bring Hyundai to Alabama, it has been incredibly rewarding to witness this transformation firsthand.

“We are immensely proud and honored to be the home of the HMMA plant, and we pledge our continued support,” McNair said.

To honor the anniversary milestone, Genesis Gives, the corporate social responsibility initiative from Genesis Motor America, presented Alabama State University with a $50,000 donation, and the Genesis Inspiration Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting education through the arts, presented the Alabama Shakespeare Festival with a $50,000 grant during the event.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.