Nifco KTW Moving Along on Construction, Says SCDA

Progress continues towards getting German-based automotive parts supplier NIFCO KTW up and operating in Stephens County.

The Stephens County Development Authority said that the company received the Certificate of Occupancy for its building last Thursday.

Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin said that the new building in the Hayestone-Brady Business Park on Highway 17 that will house NIFCO KTW’s U.S. operations is almost complete.

“The building is almost complete, 99.99 percent complete,” said Martin. “There will be two or three or four more days to finish up a few little things, touch up paint, put up some ceiling tiles, just things like that.”

Once that is done, Martin said summertime will be for getting the building ready for production by bringing in equipment and eventually employees.

“The months of June, July, and August, they will be installing the manufacturing equipment,” said Martin. “Inside of the building right now they are already receiving equipment. As the building is completed and all of the systems are completed and work, water, the alarm system, and everything, they will be setting up the equipment. They will test it and make sure it is all working properly. Employment will start probably in September timeframe and then they will be in production, September and October timeframe.”

Martin went on to say that the Georgia Department of Labor is still coordinating the staffing for NIFCO KTW in Stephens County.

“The Department of Labor has been doing a magnificent job,” said Martin. “We have a specialized recruitment team in the Department of Labor that is assisting with this process, so you can go online or you can go to the Toccoa office and they will tell you what you need to know.”

Officials said last year that NIFCO KTW plans to invest $27 million and create 200 jobs over the next five years, with more than half of those jobs coming in the first year of operations.

Company officials said last year the Toccoa plant will supply parts to BMW and Mercedes Benz USA.