Global Trade
March 17, 2026
Auto supplier to redevelop former Alabama steel mill site
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
An automotive supplier plans to turn a former steel mill site in Alabama into a facility to produce aluminum and plastic components for US automakers.
Taiwan-based Minth Group Limited said the $430 million investment will redevelop the 400-acre brownfield site that was the previous location of Republic Steel and Gulf States Steel.
The new facility will produce components for US plants, including Hyundai in Montgomery, Alabama, and Kia in West Point, Georgia, two high-volume assembly plants in the Southeast.
Hyundai’s Montgomery plant has capacity of about 399,500 vehicles per year. Kia’s West Point facility produces about 350,000 vehicles annually, according to the companies’ websites. The Hyundai facility also includes engine shops that machine cast components and supply powertrains to Kia’s West Point plant.
Although the company has not disclosed the product mix for the site, its existing portfolio provides some direction. Minth produces aluminum structural systems such as front and rear rails, cross members and battery enclosures, along with exterior components such as bumpers, trim and closure systems. These applications are common in body-in-white structures and electric vehicle platforms, where aluminum use tends to increase.
Minth is expanding its aluminum footprint in North America through partnerships and product development tied to electric vehicles.
In February, the company announced a joint venture with AISIN Corp. and Toyota Tsusho Corp. to produce aluminum body frame parts in North America. The venture includes components manufactured using aluminum extrusions and is intended to support regional supply chains for structural parts used in hybrid and electric vehicles.
Meanwhile, company disclosures indicate a continued focus on aluminum-based vehicle structures. According to Minth’s 2024 sustainability report, the company is increasing its use of recycled aluminum and increasing purchases of aluminum inputs, including aluminum rod.
Minth has 78 plants around the globe. The company said the Gadsden, Alabama, location will help it better serve its North American customers, including those transitioning to electric and advanced vehicles.
Minth’s US operations are part of Minth North America Inc., with regional headquarters in Wixom, Michigan, and two other locations in Michigan and Tennessee.
The Gadsden site is expected to be a flagship US facility with nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing space, according the Alabama Department of Commerce.
