Korean auto supplier Duckyang is set to invest $10 million to put a facility in Jackson County near the massive SK Battery factory, which was visited by Korean President Moon Jae-in last weekend.
Duckyang plans to hire 285 at the site in Braselton that will supply battery modules and storage systems to SK.
State officials say the move is another example of how the $2.6 billion SK investment will compound on itself through a parade of suppliers, creating even more economic impact for a plant that already promises 2,600 jobs in its own right.
Duckyang already serves Korean automotive manufacturers like Kia, Hyundai, Renault Samsung and Genesis with cockpit modules composed of 130 subcomponents around the drivers’ seat of the vehicle. But the SK deal is what is bringing the company physically into North America, where it will pursue additional opportunities with current partners.
“It is expected that we will have business expansion opportunities to supply not only electric vehicle parts but also interior parts, including the cockpit module, door trim panel module, and other flagship parts to global automakers based in the United States,” said Dong-in Son, CEO of Duckyang Ind. Co. Ltd.
The Duckyang announcement came just days before the presidential visit, as Hyundai Motor Group announced a $7.4 billion investment in the U.S. to electrify more of its vehicle fleet and add other alternative-energy offerings. That could include massive investments in Hyundai and Kia factories in Alabama and Georgia, respectively, though the carefully worded release from the auto maker did not specify where exactly the funds would flow.
Duckyang Industrial was established in 1977 in Korea, and has grown globally through a partnership with Visteon, an automotive supplier spun off from Ford in 1999. The company says it focuses heavily on research and development as it aims to expand market share worldwide. As of 2017 its revenues eclipsed $800 million, and the company had two plants in China along with its head office and factory in Ulsan, Korea.
