Construction on the new Polaris off-road vehicle factory in Huntsville-annexed Limestone County is on schedule for an early 2016 opening.

The Minnesota company is working with Nashville-based T.W. Frierson Contractor and Design Constructors to build the more than 700,000-square-foot, $48 million facility west of Greenbrier Road. The project, which will employ at least 1,700 workers, is expected to start early production by January.

Polaris Director of International Operations Ed Heffernan said the facility is one component of an overall $150 million investment project, which includes the building, capital equipment costs, tooling and other expenses. Although the building will be flexible enough to produce any Polaris vehicle, Heffernan said it will initially make the RANGER model in two-seat, full-size and multi-passenger styles.