ElringKlinger, a global manufacturer and supplier of auto parts, announced plans to expand its operations to Indiana, establishing a facility in Allen County and creating up to 150 new jobs by 2022.
"We're thrilled to welcome ElringKlinger to Indiana, a state that is known for our central location, low costs and skilled workforce," Governor Eric J. Holcomb said. "As a global company, ElringKlinger could have expanded anywhere, but they chose Indiana, which is a testament to our business-friendly environment and hardworking Hoosiers. We're excited to witness ElringKlinger grow as we continue to build on our economic momentum."
The company, which designs, manufactures and distributes innovative aluminum and plastic automotive parts, will expand its global operations into northeast Indiana, constructing a 60,000-square-foot shell building at 2677 Persistence Drive in Fort Wayne. The new facility, which will be equipped with manufacturing, logistical, research and development and information technology equipment, will produce aluminum shielding systems for acoustic and thermal protection for passenger cars and commercial vehicles. ElringKlinger plans to begin production in September. The new site will be the company’s fifth operations center in the U.S. with this expansion being its first facility in Indiana, allowing the company closer proximity to its customers.
ElringKlinger currently employs more than 9,000 employees in about 50 locations around the world, including associates at its U.S. facilities in Georgia, Michigan and California. The company has already started hiring for quality, environmental, logistics, program, industrial and production managers, and the company also plans to hire for engineering and manufacturing positions. Interested applicants may apply online.
“We have had good experiences with our U.S. plants in the past," said Dr. Stefan Wolf, Chief Executive Officer for ElringKlinger. "The Fort Wayne region is attractive for manufacturing companies like ElringKlinger. We’re now closer to our customer and we have several industry partners around. We’re looking forward to starting our production here in Fort Wayne.”
Founded in 1879, ElringKlinger is an advanced manufacturing and technology group headquartered in Germany. The company, which manufacturers and supplies lightweight aluminum and plastic products to reduce weight in motor vehicles, operates in different segments, which include original equipment, aftermarket, engineered plastics and services. ElringKlinger offers products for combustion engines as well as hybrid and environmentally-friendly battery and fuel cell technology to its customers.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered ElringKlinger up to $1,000,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fort Wayne approved additional incentives at the request of the Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
“I continue to be encouraged by the positive momentum and investments we’re experiencing in Fort Wayne,” said Mayor Tom Henry. “We appreciate ElringKlinger’s commitment to bringing jobs to our community. Advanced manufacturing is a key business sector that helps position Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana as a leader in economic development opportunities for job growth and successful expansion projects.”
Indiana is home to approximately 900 foreign-owned business establishments like ElringKlinger, which provide more than 190,000 quality jobs for Hoosiers. Germany is Indiana’s second-largest source of foreign direct investment in terms of the number of locations Germany-based companies occupy in Indiana. Indiana supports approximately 100 German-owned or German joint ventures.
About ElringKlinger
As an automotive supplier, ElringKlinger has become a trusted partner to vehicle manufacturers – with a firm commitment to shaping the future of mobility. Be it optimized combustion engines, high-performance hybrids, or environmentally-friendly battery and fuel cell technology, ElringKlinger provides innovative solutions for all types of drive systems. ElringKlinger’s lightweighting concepts help to reduce the overall weight of vehicles. As a result, vehicles powered by combustion engines consume less fuel and emit less CO2, while those equipped with alternative propulsion systems benefit from an extended range. In response to increasingly complex combustion engine technology, the Group also continues to make refinements with regard to gaskets in order to meet the highest possible standards. This is complemented by solutions centered around thermal and acoustic shielding technology. Additionally, the group‘s portfolio includes products made of the high-performance plastic PTFE which are also marketed to industries beyond the automotive sector. These efforts are supported by a dedicated workforce of more than 9,000 people at about 50 ElringKlinger Group locations around the globe.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.