KANSAS CITY—The revival of the American auto industry in the wake of its near collapse has caused ripples far beyond the state of Michigan. The Kansas City area, in particular, has recently seen new plants established and existing ones expanded. And Janesville Acoustics, a Jason Inc. Co., has just decided to invest $13.4 million in a 155,000-square-foot manufacturing facility about 60 miles southeast of Kansas City in Warrensburg, MO, to supply General Motors' Fairfax Assembly Plant. The company will begin operations in July and create as many as 164 new, full-time jobs, according to the Kansas City Area Development Council.
“We're thrilled to see yet another automotive supplier invest in our region, which is home to large-scale manufacturing operations for both GM and Ford,” says Bob Marcusse, the council's president and CEO. “Manufacturers are attracted to Kansas City for our robust supply chain network, transportation and logistics services, as well as our worker productivity and affordability.”
As reported in GlobeSt.com, in November the Spanish automotive company Grupo Antolin North America kicked off a $15.7 million, 148,800-square-foot automotive manufacturing facility at 1601 Southern Rd. Furthermore, Yanfeng USA Automotive Trim Systems recently decided to locate a new manufacturing plant in Riverside Horizons, a 260-acre industrial park in suburban Riverside.
“In Warrensburg we have found a geographic location that will allow us to exceed the expectations of our customers, a capable workforce, and a state and local government that are very welcoming and supportive of our project,” says David Cataldi, president of the Michigan-based Janesville Acoustics.
The company will use the new facility to produce trunk liners, specialized carpets, dash liners and acoustical insulation for the Chevy Malibu, and intends to expand the facility, adding 40,000-square-feet to the property in the third quarter.
“Today's announcement further cements Missouri's position as a leader in automotive manufacturing, and we're proud to welcome Janesville Acoustics as the newest member of Missouri's broad network of automotive manufacturers and suppliers,” says Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.
Continue Reading for Free
Register and gain access to:
- Breaking commercial real estate news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
- Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
- Critical coverage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
Already have an account? Sign In Now
© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
Brian J. Rogal
Brian J. Rogal is a Chicago-based freelance writer with years of experience as an investigative reporter and editor, most notably at The Chicago Reporter, where he concentrated on housing issues. He also has written extensively on alternative energy and the payments card industry for national trade publications.
