Adah International executive watching EVs, supply chain growth

A leader at a versatile local consulting firm is watching two important issues impacting business.

Jens Reichmann is chief information and technology officer with Adah International LLC. Last year Adah won Alabama Automotive Manufacturer Association’s supplier of the year award in the service category.

The company’s biggest customer is Mercedes-Benz U.S. International (MBUSI) in Vance. Reichmann joined Adah in 2019 when it had just three team members. He said the company is most interested in growing its consulting arm in the year ahead. “One of our strong suits is our understanding between American and German engineering and business practices,” Reichmann said.

“Americans and Germans have a long tradition and relationship; we have a lot of the same beliefs. But work-wise and process-wise, it is quite a difference. Even after these years.”

Reichmann said battery-powered vehicles are not selling as quickly or in as much volume as many in the industry expected. “I think it’s the right direction,” he said. “I think it’s a great direction. But excitement was too high.” He said most manufacturers have already updated their production processes to include more of a mix of electric vehicles and others.

“A big topic for the next few years I think will be hybrid vehicles,” Reichmann said.

Reichmann said while it is true the grid is not ready yet for entire neighborhoods to have electric vehicle chargers in every home, and there are still areas without charging facilities,

Alabama has strong electric vehicle infrastructure compared to other states. He also pointed out strong workforce training programs for the electric vehicle industry at MBUSI and the University of Alabama.

“We should not lose those things,” he said. “We need to keep them up. It’s not as quick as we hoped for, or as we expected, but it is here, it is welcome. It needs some time like with every good investment.”

Reichmann said he is expecting growth in small and mid-size companies in the year ahead. “That’s a market where we can grow, where we want to grow, where we want to support businesses,” Reichmann said.

He also said he believes the firm can win clients in the form of companies that decide to reshore or near-shore as a result of tariffs or for other reasons. “That’s going around the logistics and supply chain world,” Reichmann said. “We are already seeing that.

by A.J. O'Leary – Banking and Legal Reporter, Birmingham Business Journal Feb 28, 2025

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