Associated Industries of Missouri’s “Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act of 2010” continues to bring stable, high paying jobs to Missouri.
The latest victory for the act occurred earlier this week when Grupo Antolin North America announced it will invest more than $15.7 million in a 150,000 square-foot automotive manufacturing facility to supply Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant, creating an estimated 118 new jobs.
“Kansas City represents enormous opportunities for Grupo Antolin,” said Max Rogers, President of Grupo Antolin North America. “Missouri’s friendly corporate climate and close proximity to major automakers put us in a position to better serve our clients and continue to grow.”
Grupo Antolin’s new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Kansas City will initially produce headliners for the all-new Ford Transit van, which will be manufactured at Ford’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo.
Grupo Antolin is an international automotive parts manufacturing company. The company designs, manufactures, and supplies automotive overhead systems, interior trim and door functions, ambient and functional lighting products, lighting consoles and seat functions for major auto manufacturers worldwide, including Ford and General Motors. Headquartered in Spain, Grupo Antolin has 100 manufacturing plants and 22 offices in 25 countries, including nine facilities in the United States.
“Global manufacturing companies, like Grupo Antolin, have many choices when it comes to where they operate. This announcement shows that this region is competitive with any region in the world,” said Kansas City Mayor Sly James. “I’m thrilled to welcome Grupo Antolin to our community and look forward to seeing the economic benefit this announcement brings to the people who live here.”
The Missouri Manufacturing Jobs Act was passed during a special session of the Missouri General Assembly in 2010. As a result of these efforts, Missouri’s automotive manufacturing industry has rebounded.
In May, Ford announced that it would hire an additional 900 workers in Claycomo for a third shift of F-150 production. In 2011, Ford confirmed plans to make an investment of $1.1 billion and create 1,600 new jobs at the facility as part of a historic expansion that includes construction of a new stamping plant and production of the Ford Transit van, previously built only overseas.
General Motors also announced plans in 2011 to create more than 1,600 jobs and invest $380 million to bring production of the newly-redesigned Colorado pickup to Wentzville and support demand for its existing vehicles. This past June, GM announced an additional $133 million investment at the facility to add a third stamping press.
“The Grupo Antolin announcement is yet another success story made possible by the Missouri Manufactring Jobs Act of 2010,” said Ray McCarty, president of AIM. “The goal of this program is being borne out every time there is another announcement of this kind.”
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