Polaris has announced plans to build a new production factory that will focus on off-road vehicle production in Huntsville, Alabama. The 600,000 square foot facility will be located near the Huntsville City Center and provide the company with additional capacity to meet their rapid growth.
The location was chosen because Alabama offers state resources that support economic development. In addition, the area has a history of technology and innovation, a strong existing utility infrastructure, and an available skilled workforce to draw from. The strong logistics network and close proximity to a key customer base in the southeast also made the area attractive to Polaris.
Polaris expects to break ground for the Huntsville facility in first quarter 2015, and has targeted second quarter of 2016 for completion, with production schedule to begin immediately thereafter.
The new facility will have multiple assembly lines and be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies. It is expected the plant will support multiple core Polaris processes, including vehicle assembly, chassis and body painting, welding, fabrication and injection molding. When the plant reaches full capacity, it will employ a minimum of 1,700 people, providing a notable impact to the area’s economy.
The new plant will become part of the Polaris North American plant network, and is intended to reduce complexity within the already existing plant network and improve logistics organization. Executive Vice President of Operations for Polaris Ken Purcel says that “This new facility will complement our already strong and growing manufacturing footprint by reducing pressure on existing facilities, enabling each to remain focused on their current product lines.”
