Staff and wire

FRANKFURT &8212; A German automobile industry newsletter has reported Alabama will likely become the home of a new Volkswagen manufacturing plant.

Reuters reported Sunday the newsletter Automobilwoche or Automobile Week released the information on Saturday, citing senior company sources.

Officials from VW

have said a decision on the plant&8217;s location wasn&8217;t decided upon. Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan remain in the running. The Alabama site will be in the northwest portion of the state in Limestone County, recently annexed by Huntsville.

The officials also said a decision is expected by July 21.

Volkswagen will create about 2,000 jobs at its new plant. Metal Bulletin reports suppliers to the plant will create another 5,000 jobs.

In the Automobilwoche article, available online at http://www.automobilwoche.de/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage, unnamed VW officials said Alabama presented, &8220;best opportunities.&8221; The article also noted Daimler Benz already has a production plant in the state near Tuscaloosa.

Additionally, the article pointed out that ThyseenKrupp, a major supplier of automotive steel, has a production plant under construction near Mobile.