Hyundai Supplier Minth Pumps $430M into Gadsden Steel Site Revival

GADSDEN, Ala. (Day.News) — Minth Group Limited, a Chinese global automotive supplier, announced March 7, 2026, plans to invest $430 million transforming a 400-acre former steelmaking brownfield in Gadsden into its largest U.S. campus. The site, once home to Republic Steel and Gulf States Steel, will feature nearly 1 million square feet of manufacturing space producing high-quality plastic and aluminum components for automakers, including Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama in Montgomery and Kia in West Point, Georgia.[1] The expansion promises more than 1,300 jobs with average annual wages exceeding $49,000, starting with hundreds of positions as operations ramp up to a potential 1,325 workers. Etowah County, hit hard by the exits of Goodyear and Gulf States Steel, stands to gain significantly from this renewal on a site idle since the steel industry's decline. Minth's flagship facility aims to bolster U.S. supply chains amid rising demand for domestic auto parts.[1] Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama, the automaker's Montgomery hub established in 2005, assembles up to 399,500 vehicles annually and relies on such suppliers to fuel its growth. This Minth project aligns with Hyundai Motor Group's escalated $26 billion U.S. investment through 2028, including a new Louisiana steel plant producing 2.7 million metric tons yearly by 2029 to sidestep tariffs and support plants like Montgomery.[3] Local officials view the Gadsden revival as a vital boost to Alabama's auto sector, which anchors the state's economy.