ACTION 8 NEWS EXTRA: Hyundai in High Gear, the complete series

Action 8 News is marking the 20th anniversary of the Hyundai assembly plant in Montgomery with this series of special reports.

The plant opened on May 20, 2005, with a huge celebration that attracted many dignitaries from Korea and the U.S., including former President George H.W. Bush. It opened with 2,000 workers in addition to others scattered at suppliers throughout our part of the state.

Today, the plant has 4,200 employees, and combined with the supplier jobs, 40,000 people in our area have a job connected to Hyundai. It produces 370,000 vehicles annually, contributing 20% of Montgomery’s GDP and making an annual economic impact of more than $5 billion to Alabama.

That’s why we thought the anniversary was worth creating this five-part series of Action 8 News Extra reports. Here is the complete list of stories:

Hyundai in High Gear Part 1: Look back at how we got the plant and what it has meant to our area, by Glenn Halbrooks

Hyundai in High Gear Part 2: Meet workers at the plant who’ve been there since the beginning, by Darryl Hood

Hyundai in High Gear Part 3: See how Hyundai suppliers have transformed small towns throughout the area, by George McDonald

Hyundai in High Gear Part 4: Take a trip to see South Korean culture, which is now a part of Montgomery, by Estee Morrison

Hyundai in High Gear Part 5: Learn how Hyundai gives back to our area through charitable giving, by Carrington Cole