Who’s coming to the United States manufacturing industry?
Two German automotive suppliers are making their presence felt in the country as they set up their facilities separately in two different states – one in Georgia and one in Michigan.
Kirchhoff Van-Rob, Inc. In Michigan
The German firm Kirchhoff Automotive through its North American arm Kirchhoff Van-Rob, Inc., has recently announced its plan to invest in a $25 million, 125,000 square-foot facility on Felton Road, in Clinton County’s Watertown Township, in Michigan, just west of the Capital Region International Airport. The German auto supplier will make parts for vehicles from General Motors Co. built in its Lansing facility. Kirchhoff Van-Rob Inc., set to open in January 2015 is expected to add at least 125 jobs with its opening. Tony Parente is Kirchhoff’s president and chief operating officer.
Structural Vehicle Components For GM
According to Parente, Kirchhoff plans to manufacture structural vehicle components for the Chevrolet Camaro and the next-gen Chevrolet Traverse crossover, including:
- Wheel wells
- Dashboard panels
GM’s Camaro Production In Lansing
General Motors is moving its Camaro production where the Cadillac ATS and CTS luxury car lines are manufactured – at the Lansing Grand River Assembly plant. Lansing Grand River Assembly is a GM-owned and operated auto assembly facility in Lansing, Michigan. Chevy’s Traverse is currently produced at the automaker’s Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant alongside the GM Acadia and Buick Enclave models.
According to Parente, there are plans to redesign the Traverse 2017 model and that GM wants its suppliers to be located within 25 miles of the automaker’s assembly plant or facility. For its part, Parente said the company could start producing parts for the Camaro model in October 2015.
Good Community Service
Parente shares the excitement of opening a plant in Michigan with the people who they will put back to work. He said that seeing the legendary American automaker rebound and build their factories back up again in US soil is not only good for the community, but in itself is a good community service being rendered by the automaker.
Full Production By Late Summer 2015
The new facility of Kirchhoff is ready to receive most of the equipment in January. Preproduction is set to start in the spring while full production is slated to begin in late summer, but still all will depend on the vehicle launch dates.
Up To 138 Jobs For Michigan
Parente said he expects that the new facility will generate from 125 to 138 jobs, majority of which will be on the production floor. Kirchhoff has an estimated 30 manufacturing sites around the world. Michigan is home to 61 of the top 100 automotive suppliers, And where automakers are, affiliate industries like tool and die and mold companies as well as suppliers of small auto parts such as high carbon steel washers, rivets, bolts and nuts also set up their facilities to be near the automotive assembly plants.
German-based Company – Häring
The state of Georgia is likewise all set to welcome another German-based company to its first plant in the US which is expected to bring in some 800 jobs to the area by 2025, as disclosed through the statement from the Governor’s Office.
Fuel Injection Parts And Precision Components
The German-based company Häring, supplies parts for automotive manufacturing. It will open its 196,000 square-foot facility in Hartwell where fuel injection parts and other precision components for the automotive industry will be manufactured. The facility will also have a separate training center and a detached dining hall.
The German company is investing $54 million for this project over the next five years. Some workers will have the opportunity for newly created positions that will require extensive training and language learning in Bubsheim, Germany, the company’s headquarters.
First Facility In The US Is In Georgia
The German-based company chose Georgia to be its location for the first facility in the United States because of the state’s pro-business climate. The company will also rely heavily on the workforce of Georgia. And Andreas Lehnhofer, managing director of Häring is confident they have the tools necessary for the company to succeed on American soil. He is also confident in the support and commitment the state is giving to automotive manufacturers. The state of Georgia and its people have been the beneficiary of over $5 billion in investments from about 120 automakers within the last 6 years.
Are there other automakers moving to Georgia or Michigan in the coming year?
Article Sources:
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com
https://www.accessnorthga.com
And here I thought that Georgia was all peanut and peach plantations. Actually, the last time I was there, I noticed that the Good Year headquarters are located there. Besides that, I was able to see the TNT tv network headquarters from the Highway in Atlanta. It’s actually kind of strange to see state of the art facilities in red brick exterior structures. I guess that gives Georgia it’s unique architecture.