Governor Brian P. Kemp today announced that PHA, a global auto parts manufacturer that will supply the Hyundai Metaplant in Bryan County, will create 402 new jobs and invest more than $67 million in a new facility in Chatham County.

“In a single month, Georgia’s economic development community has announced more than 1,900 new jobs for hardworking Georgians, with the bulk of those jobs related to the Hyundai Metaplant,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We are witnessing unprecedented economic growth coming to this region, and I want to thank our partners in the local communities represented by the Savannah Harbor-Interstate 16 Corridor Joint Development Authority for their ongoing commitment to seeing these businesses and Georgians prosper together.”

PHA is a Tier-1 automotive parts supplier for Hyundai Motor Group, Kia, and many other original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). PHA is a Korea-based company with locations throughout the world, including multiple facilities within the United States. Since its establishment in 1985, PHA has grown into a global company in the field of automotive door moving systems through research and development, innovative technology, and aggressive investment.

“It is an honor for PHA to establish a new production facility in Chatham County, Georgia,” said Sangtae Kim, Chairman of PHA. “As a producer of innovative products for the automotive world and growing EV market, we are extremely excited to be a part of the community. We owe our sincere gratitude to Chatham County and the State of Georgia for their support in making this happen and launching a successful partnership that will bring new jobs and contribute to advancing the economic development of the entire region.”

PHA’s new facility will be located at the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center, a Georgia Ready for Accelerated Development (GRAD) Certified site. The new manufacturing facility will produce door modules, tailgate latches, and hood latches for OEMs, including Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America. Operations are expected to begin in 2024. Interested individuals can learn more about PHA at https://www.phakr.com/eng.

“Today is an exciting day with the announcement of the second Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America supplier to locate in the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center,” said Savannah Economic Development Authority President and CEO Trip Tollison. “PHA is a great company and well regarded in the industry. We look forward to working with them as they build their new facility and begin operations in the Savannah region.”

Director of Project Implementation and Supplier Strategy Alyce Thornhill represented the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) Global Commerce team on this competitive project in partnership with the Savannah Economic Development Authority, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Quick Start, and Georgia Power.

“We are excited to welcome PHA to Georgia as the second Hyundai supplier at the Savannah Chatham Manufacturing Center,” said GDEcD Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Projects like Hyundai and its suppliers underscore the importance of site preparation to attract jobs and opportunities to a community. Companies are racing the clock to come online to meet demand, so they are prioritizing locations that have already completed GRAD certification. In today’s competitive environment, investing in speed-to-market solutions makes all the difference.”

On October 25, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America officially broke ground in neighboring Bryan County on its first fully dedicated EV and battery manufacturing facility. In addition to Hyundai's direct contributions to the region, offsite suppliers connected to the project were predicted to invest approximately $1 billion in other locations around the state. Projects announced to date have not only already met this projection, but exceeded it by more than $800 million.

Building on the assets that make the automotive industry successful, Georgia is positioned as a hub for the electric mobility industry. Since 2020, more than 35 EV-related projects have announced more than $21 billion in investment and 27,400 jobs in Georgia.