Hyundai Mobis, Beyond Gravity Growing In Alabama

Hyundai Mobis will create 400 jobs at a new EV battery plant in Montgomery; Beyond Gravity will double production for rocket parts, creating 200 jobs in Decatur.

Hyundai Mobis’ new facility, located on the HMAA campus in Montgomery, is expected to begin as early as December. Production of EV battery assemblies is projected to begin in 2024.

Earlier this year, Hyundai announced plans to begin EV production at its Montgomery manufacturing plant through a $300 million investment that will create 200 jobs. Hyundai’s Alabama workforce will produce the all-electric Genesis GV70 luxury SUV and a hybrid electric version of the Santa Fe SUV.

Hyundai Mobis’ growth plans will add new dimension to the region’s growing automotive manufacturing cluster.

“Montgomery and Hyundai Mobis have a powerful partnership,” said Mayor Steven Reed. “We look forward to continuing to strengthen this relationship in the coming years and working to support this tremendous investment. This is a continuation of the biggest year for economic development in the history of our city.”

Beyond Gravity To Double Production Of Rocket Structures

Beyond Gravity, a manufacturer of structures for launch vehicles, will add a new production facility in Decatur, AL to provide additional payload fairings for the United Launch Alliance’s next-generation Alabama-built Vulcan rockets.

Switzerland-based Beyond Gravity (formerly known as RUAG Space) is working with Colorado-based ULA to build the new production facility, which will add 200 workers at the Morgan County site, doubling the company’s Alabama workforce.

Beyond Gravity
A Beyond Gravity payload fairing for the Vulcan rocket in a test. (Photo: ULA)

Beyond Gravity’s expansion project follows its selection by ULA to supply 38 payload fairings for Vulcan rockets launching satellites as part of Amazon’s Project Kuiper. A fairing is the pointed tip of the rocket that protects the satellites from high temperatures, mechanical stresses and other hazards. Project Kuiper aims to place a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit to provide affordable high-speed broadband connections around the world.

“I am very proud that the Vulcan launch vehicles that will carry the Kuiper constellation into space rely on our leading-edge and proven technology in the field of composite structures,” said André Wall, CEO of Beyond Gravity. “This contract with ULA marks the next chapter in our long-standing partnership and further strengthens and expands our presence in the U.S.”

Beyond Gravity’s new 250,000-square-foot production building will include 30,000 square feet of warehouse space and another 20,000 square feet for offices. The facility will be completed for operations beginning in early 2024.

“Beyond Gravity has fantastic people with a high level of commitment and a clear focus on the needs of our customers,” said Paul Horstink, executive vice president of Beyond Gravity’s Launchers Division. “With this new facility, Beyond Gravity will move to the next level: from producing a total of 10 payload fairings in Decatur per year to a target of 25.”

ULA and Beyond Gravity have had a strategic partnership to produce composite structures for ULA rockets since 2015.

Beyond Gravity
A rendering of the components of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, including the payload fairings made by Beyond Gravity in Decatur, AL.

Earlier this month, ULA announced that is nearing completion of the first Vulcan Centaur rocket at its Decatur plant as it awaits installation of its BE-4 engines. Blue Origin has established a factory for the BE-4 engines in nearby Huntsville. ULA expects Vulcan to make its maiden flight early next year.

ULA, which operates America’s largest rocket factory in Decatur, is expanding the plant to increase production of the Vulcan rocket.