Governor Pat McCrory and North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced that ASMO North America, a global supplier of advanced automotive technology, systems and components, will expand its manufacturing operations in Pitt County. The company plans to create 200 new jobs and invest at least $50 million at its Greenville facility by the end of 2016.
“ASMO has a great presence in North Carolina and we’re thrilled that they see the value in growing with us in Eastern North Carolina,” said Governor McCrory. “They are one of our strong automotive manufacturing partners and have succeeded due to product design and demand as well as our skilled workforce and strong business climate in the state.”
The local facility, known as ASMO Greenville of NC, opened in 1995 and currently employs more than 530 people. The company manufactures front wiper motor linkages, arm and blades and radiator fan motors for its North American customers. ASMO North America is a wholly owned subsidiary of ASMO, Co., LTD, headquartered in Kosai City, Japan. The company also operates facilities in Statesville, NC, Texas and Michigan.
“We very much appreciate the support from the state of North Carolina, Pitt County and the City of Greenville,” said Takashi Akai, president of ASMO Greenville of NC. “We are committed to remaining a market leader and continue to manufacture in Eastern North Carolina. Our expansion will require highly skilled associates and we look forward to strengthening our ties with Pitt Community College to provide the training needed for the future. We wish to thank everyone involved in this project.”
“We are committed to creating new jobs in North Carolina and know that we have the attributes that advanced manufacturing companies like ASMO need to succeed,” said Sharon Decker, North Carolina Secretary of Commerce. “We applaud the ASMO executives for their commitment to reinvest in Eastern North Carolina and expand their global footprint in Pitt County.”
ASMO Greenville is built on 37.4 acres and operates in 528,000 square feet of manufacturing space. The expansion will enable them to add more assembly lines and die cast machines to meet growth expectations. The company currently maintains the top market share for these parts and ships the products they manufacture directly to Toyota, Honda, Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and BMW. The average salaries for the new jobs will be $34,628.
“The expansion of ASMO in Indigreen Corporate Park represents ASMO’s commitment to the Pitt County-Greenville community,” said Pitt County manager, Scott Elliott. “This announcement is a clear indicator that our local economy is on the upswing in terms of ongoing economic recovery from the recession.”
The project was made possible in part by an award to ASMO from the state Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program, as voted by the state Economic Investment Committee. Receipt of the award is based on proof of job creation and other performance requirements. Over 12 years, the JDIG award could yield aggregate benefits to ASMO of up to $1,255,450.
Other partners that provided support include the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Community Colleges, Pitt Community College, Pitt County, Pitt County Development Commission, Pitt County Committee of 100 and Greenville Utilities Commission.
“The Development Commission is very grateful to our County Commissioners for their support. Without their commitment to fully support this investment and these 200 jobs, we could not have secured the project,” said Wanda Yuhas, executive director, Pitt County Development Commission. “We also wish to thank our other partners that made this project possible. They all recognized the importance of supporting the expansion of an existing industry with proven success and future growth potential.”
For more information about ASMO, including job opportunities, visit www.asmo-na.com.