Chattanooga Firm Gets $1.88 Million VW Contract

A Chattanooga construction firm has been awarded a $1.88 million contract for work at the Volkswagen plant.

Thomas Brothers Construction will do site work and erect fences at the Training Center at the huge new plant at the Enterprise South Industrial Park.

The firm will erect chain link fences with barbed wire around a portion of the Training Center as well as picket-type fencing in more public areas at the center, where VW workers will go through training.

Bid packages were sent to 24 vendors and it was advertised. There were three bids received.

Steve Leach, city public works administrator, said 160 construction workers in two shifts are striving to meet the Dec. 18 deadline for completing the Training Center.

He said, "We are pushing as hard as we can to get that completed."

Chattanooga State will operate the center.

A number of orders for specialized equipment for the center have been placed. Most are "single source."

The City Bond Board on Tuesday morning approved several equipment orders.

They included $126,960 from a German firm, Schatz AG, and $33,311 from Atlas Copco Tools and Assembly.

Another order that was bid was won by Turner Supply of Nashville $516,818. A Memphis firm also bid.

The contract for Moll Systems U.S. for conveyor equipment was amended and now totals just over $1 million.

Mr. Leach said progress is being made, despite the frequent rain, on extending the entrance road from I-75 to the Training Center.