Denso will invest $750 million in U.S. expansion
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DETROIT -- Denso International America Inc. plans to invest $750 million in the United States in the next four years, creating more than 1,200 jobs. The Toyota affiliated supplier announced these plans today at the Detroit auto show:
• In Michigan, Denso will invest $150 million.
• In North Carolina and other locations, Denso is “currently considering opportunities to invest up to $120 million and adding nearly 300 new jobs,” said Terry Helgesen, senior vice president of industry relations.
• Denso will invest more than $50 million at its plant in Athens, Tenn., adding more than 130 jobs. It also plans expansion at its Maryville, Tenn., plant.
• The supplier also will invest nearly $150 million in Mexico and Canada.
Denso currently employs 15,685 people at 32 plants, r&d facilities and administrative operations in North America.
The Michigan investment would result in a research and development expansion at the company’s Southfield technical center and expansions in manufacturing at its plant in Battle Creek.
Denso would expand its lines at the Battle Creek plant to produce next-generation thermal parts, including radiators, condensers and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning parts, Helgesen said.
Part of the investment will go toward expanding current production, but Denso also is adding new parts to its U.S. lineup. Those include stop-start starters, which it began building in Maryville in June; high-output alternators; inverters for hybrid vehicles; memory-seat modules; and gasoline direct injectors.
Denso also said it will invest to make its own production equipment, including dies, in North America as part of its plan to cut imports from its parent in Japan.
You can reach James B. Treece at jtreece@crain.com.
