A German manufacturer of diesel engines will open a plant in Pendergrass to remanufacture engines for construction and agricultural machinery.

Deutz AG, which currently has Georgia operations in Norcross, will employ 50 workers at the plant in Valentine Industrial Park. Initially, the plant will refurbish 100 engines per month, with plants to triple that output in five years.

The announcement was made Thursday morning at Lanier Technical College, which will provide training for the new workforce through the state’s QuickStart program.

Deutz AG, based in Cologne, Germany, is currently remanufacturing engines in Ubersee, Germany and ships them to the U.S. and 130 countries around the world. This will be the first U.S. remanufacturing operation.

The company expect to open the Pendergrass facility early in 2008.