A South Korean automotive parts manufacturer has officially flipped the switch on a new $30 million factory in Auburn, Alabama, bringing 120 jobs to a city that has quietly become one of the hottest spots in the state for auto supplier investment. INFAC North America celebrated the opening of its manufacturing operation on Oct. 13, marking the completion of a project that will produce parts for some of the biggest names in the car business.
The company purchased and renovated an existing 160,000-square-foot building in Auburn Technology Park West to house the operation, according to oanow.com. The investment exceeds $30 million and is expected to create 120 jobs in its first phase, the outlet reports. Once fully up and running, the Auburn plant will manufacture supplies for global automakers including Hyundai and Kia, the report notes.
Beyond standard parts production, the facility marks INFAC's entry into core electrification components, with the plant set to produce parts for hybrid vehicles, per the same report. INFAC Group Chairman Ohegil Choi framed the opening as a milestone for the company's reach into the American market. “Having a facility in Auburn will allow us to better serve our customers in the United States and continue expanding our production capabilities,” Choi said, according to oanow.com's coverage.
State Officials Tout Auburn's Workforce Appeal
Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair praised the company's track record and the city's fit for its expansion plans, framing the deal as validation of the region's manufacturing pipeline. She noted that INFAC has a legacy of innovation and success spanning more than five decades, and said Auburn has the workforce, business climate, partners, resources, and support the company needs to build on that success.
As AL.com notes, the INFAC opening fits into a broader pattern: Auburn has landed a series of auto supplier announcements throughout 2026, each adding to the city's growing footprint in automotive manufacturing and electrification.
A Year of Auto Supplier Deals in Auburn
The INFAC deal is only the latest in a string of investments the city has pulled in this year. Italian aluminum die-casting company 2A USA is expanding its Auburn facility with a $32 million investment aimed at boosting production capacity, according to reporting attributed to the Alabama governor's office, though details on that expansion remain limited. Vulcaflex, an Italian manufacturer of synthetic leathers for automobile interiors, announced plans in June to build its first U.S. facility in Auburn Technology Park West, with reports describing an investment of almost $70 million and 130 new jobs — though those figures also come from limited reporting.
Kamtec Auto USA announced in June that it will open its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Auburn, representing a $9.2 million investment that is expected to create about 50 jobs over three years, according to madeinalabama.com. That facility will produce technical components for engine control and electric management in hybrid vehicles, the outlet reports, and Kamtec plans to initially operate from a leased Auburn facility before relocating to a newly constructed, dedicated manufacturing site.
South Korean Suppliers Deepen Their Auburn Footprint
INFAC isn't the only South Korean auto parts maker betting on Auburn. DUCK IL USA, a South Korea-based auto component supplier, revealed plans in May to invest $21 million expanding its operations in Auburn's Technology Park West, according to al.com. That same report identified INFAC as the buyer behind a $19.5 million sale of a 160,000-square-foot industrial facility in the Technology Park West back in May — the very building INFAC has now renovated and opened.
Vertex Innovations also announced an investment in an advanced manufacturing operation in Auburn in May, putting $13.5 million into the project to create 45 jobs, per the same reporting. And back in January, KettenWulf, a German-based chain manufacturer, announced a new manufacturing operation in Auburn representing approximately $34 million in investment and an estimated 70 new jobs, though those figures are drawn from limited government reporting. Taken together, the run of deals shows a city that has become a magnet for automotive suppliers chasing proximity to major automakers and a workforce built for the industry.
