Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), a global provider of vehicle logistics, has been awarded the vehicle processing and yard management business at Volkswagen's Chattanooga Operations new plant in Chattanooga.
WWL plans to hire up to an estimated 80 employees in order to expand plant operations and meet the facility's operational capacity. This is in addition to 171 employees at WWL's Smyrna, Tn., location.
WWL will provide the Volkswagen Chattanooga plant with outbound yard management and vehicle processing services, including technical services and value added accessory installation, vehicle releasing, distribution and rail loading.
Production is expected to begin in the first half of 2011. The plant has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 units annually. A new mid-sized sedan (NMS) will be manufactured at the facility.
"The vehicle processing and yard management operations are a crucial aspect of the production process and we are pleased to have WWL as experienced partners on this exciting new project in Chattanooga," said Frank Fischer, CEO and chairman of Volkswagen's Chattanooga operations.
WWL provides Volkswagen with supply chain management services in South Africa, as well as ocean transportation services in Europe, Oceania and Africa. WWL manages operations at eight other North American automotive assembly plants.