Audi plans to build its first U.S. manufacturing plant at the Middle Georgia Megasite in Peach County, Ga. The German automaker intends to invest approximately $4 billion and create approximately 4,500 jobs, according to Audi and the Office of Gov. Brian Kemp.
The Audi Georgia plant is designed for an annual capacity of up to 200,000 vehicles. It will build premium SUVs tailored to North American customers. Audi says production is planned to start “in the early 2030s.” The state’s release says full production is expected in 2031.
President Trump announced the plant on Saturday, Oct. 24, at a rally in Perry, near Macon, and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner spoke at the event, CNBC reported.
What Audi is building
“We have much greater ambitions for Audi in America, and Georgia will play a central role in making them a reality,” Döllner said in the state’s release.
Audi said the investment is meant to establish North America as a third major pillar of its global production network, alongside Europe and China. The company said a stronger North American presence would help reduce its exposure to trade and currency risks.
“Building a new plant from the ground up allows us to rethink manufacturing from day one,” said Gerd Walker, the Audi board member for production and logistics. The company said the plant will be designed for efficiency and flexibility as customer needs and market demand change.
Why the Middle Georgia Megasite
In choosing Georgia, Audi cited speed-to-market, workforce, access to consumer markets and proximity to an established automotive supply chain, the Georgia Department of Economic Development said.
The 1,474-acre site sits along Georgia Highway 96 near Interstate 75, according to the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority. The Development Authority of Peach County developed it with the Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority, a partnership of Peach, Houston and Macon-Bibb counties.
Industrial utilities are adjacent to the site. The ports of Savannah and Brunswick can be reached by rail in less than five hours, and the site has access to Norfolk Southern Class I rail. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is about a 90-minute drive away, the state said.
“We are proud that Audi has selected Georgia as the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility, delivering truly historic investment and jobs to middle Georgia,” Kemp said.
Timeline and training
Audi’s release says construction is scheduled to begin in 2027. The state’s release breaks that out as grading in 2027 and construction of the facility in 2028.
Georgia Quick Start will work with Audi on customized training and a dedicated training facility. It will also partner with Technical College System of Georgia campuses so employee instruction can begin while that facility is being built, the state said.
The Audi Group builds vehicles at 21 production sites in twelve countries and employs more than 88,000 people, according to the state’s release. Its brands include Lamborghini, Bentley and Ducati. The Georgia plant would be the Audi brand’s first U.S. production site.
What It Means for Suppliers
Audi said the investment is also expected to create opportunities for suppliers, service providers and training partners in the region. Walker said building a new plant from the ground up lets the company “develop a strong local supplier network.”
Audi named Georgia’s established automotive supplier network among the reasons it chose the state. The three-county partnership that helped secure it will support permitting, construction, hiring, workforce training and long-term operations, the Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority said. The authority said the project shows how the counties can support local suppliers and strengthen the regional tax base.
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