COLUMBUS, Ga. - Audi will build its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Georgia, a roughly $4 billion project expected to employ about 4,500 people. Gov. Brian Kemp and Audi CEO Gernot Döllner announced the plant on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026. It is a Georgia-wide economic story, and Columbus-area workers and employers will be watching for what it means for training and hiring.

What Audi plans to build

The plant will sit at the Middle Georgia Megasite in Peach County, along Georgia Highway 96 near Interstate 75. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that the site is about 90 minutes south of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The megasite was developed with Peach, Houston and Macon-Bibb counties through the Mid-Georgia Gateway Joint Development Authority, which was formed in May.

Audi says the factory will make premium SUVs for North American customers. At full production it is expected to turn out 200,000 vehicles a year. The company has not yet released the vehicle models or whether they will be gas, hybrid or electric, according to FOX 5.

The timeline: 2027, 2028, 2031

Nothing happens quickly. Audi expects site grading to begin in 2027 and construction to start in 2028. Full production is not expected until 2031, which means the 4,500 jobs will phase in over several years rather than appear at once.

That timeline matters for anyone thinking about training or a career move. Georgia Quick Start, the state's workforce training program, will work with Audi to build a customized employee-training program and a dedicated training facility. Campuses in the Technical College System of Georgia will also start instruction on a tailored curriculum while the training facility is being built.

Why Audi chose Georgia

Audi cited four reasons: speed to market, workforce, market access and proximity to suppliers. Kemp said, "We are proud that Audi has selected Georgia as the home of their first U.S. manufacturing facility." Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson called the decision a "historic milestone" for the state, according to FOX 5.

President Donald Trump previewed the announcement before a Saturday rally in Perry, about 20 minutes from the site, according to Atlanta News First. At the rally, FOX 5 reported, Trump credited tariffs for the investment. Döllner said Georgia "will play a central role" in Audi's U.S. ambitions.

What is still unknown

Officials have not disclosed the total value of state and local incentives, tax abatements or infrastructure grants. They also have not given specific wage ranges, saying only that pay will be competitive in the local market. Neither report names Columbus or any Columbus-area college as a training partner, so any local role is still undetermined.

For Columbus-area readers, the near-term story is about information, not hiring. No job postings have been announced, and grading is more than a year away. Workers interested in advanced manufacturing can watch the Technical College System of Georgia and Georgia Quick Start for the first training details as they are released.

Source note: Reviewed by The Columbus Times from Atlanta News First (posted by WTVM) and FOX 5 Atlanta reports dated Oct. 24 to 27, 2026. Incentive figures and wages had not been released.