The Albany Dougherty Economic Development Commission today announced that GRUDEM, a TIER1 and TIER2 OEM supplier specializing in honeycomb material primarily used in the automotive industry, is expanding to its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Albany, GA this summer. The company expects to create 65 new jobs and invest over $5 million in Dougherty County. 

“Georgia is on the frontline of the mobility transition, attracting suppliers to communities across the state and emphasizing the importance of building relationships in international markets like Europe,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “GRUDEM enriches the state’s automotive ecosystem through its connections to manufacturers and focus on R&D. We’re excited for the opportunities GRUDEM will create in Albany.”

“We are excited to welcome GRUDEM to Albany and are thankful that they selected our community for their U.S. operations,” said Chris Hatcher, Chairman of the ADEDC. “Albany is an excellent location for companies that supply the growing automotive industry in the southeast, and we look forward to helping GRUDEM grow its American footprint.”

The new facility will have thermoforming and carpet wrapping presses to supply substrate, semifinished, or fully finished parts.

“Our focus is on load floors and parcel shelves for the automotive industry based on sandwich polyurethane composite technology. This process results in lightweight parts with excellent mechanical properties, manufactured with different geometries, thicknesses, and coatings,” said Francisco Rodríguez Franco, Commercial Automotive Engineer.

“This win speaks volumes about our proximity to the automotive industry and our business-friendly community,” said Jana Dyke, President & CEO of the ADEDC.