Chattanooga, once known as the Dynamo of Dixie, is regaining its manufacturing prowess.

With work well under way on a $1 billion auto assembly plant by Volkswagen, a major expansion by Alstom Power aimed at the nuclear industry and other projects up and running or on the drawing board, the city is reclaiming its manufacturing footing.

Food-related firms continue to be major players in the area, along with floor covering companies and businesses such as Gold Bond lotion producer Chattem Inc. and asphalt equipment manufacturer Astec Industries.

However, it’s not just big manufacturing ventures making news in Chattanooga and the surrounding area.

In this section of Trends:

■ Shaan Khan, who manages the India Bazar on Lee Highway, talks about keeping small businesses afloat during hard economic times.

■ Herb Adcox, who owns Herb Adcox Chevrolet. He believes the tough market is weeding out weaker businesses in his industry.

■ Sharon Kelley, owner of Kelley’s Senior Services. She tells how she is not just surviving but expanding.

Meanwhile, banking continues as a key sector in the tri-state region as does construction and real estate, despite the nasty downturn in the national economy.

All these companies and people help produce a quality of life that is drawing retirees in larger numbers and putting Chattanooga on the map nationally as a place that the older set wants to live.