American Rheinmetall Vehicles, LLC, headquartered in Sterling Heights, Mich., is a part of Rheinmetall AG, a global commercial automotive and defense company. ARV specializes in the development of combat vehicle platforms that provide next-generation products to the U.S. Department of Defense, and federal and state law enforcement agencies. The company brings with it the global portfolio of Rheinmetall vehicle systems to the U.S. market. American Rheinmetall Vehicles offers both tracked and wheeled combat vehicle platforms with associated sub-systems. The Sterling Heights location currently has 52 full-time employees with roughly the same number of contractors on the team. Rheinmetall AG, with its corporate headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany, is the parent company and employs approximately 25,000 people worldwide across 133 locations.
ARV is growing its design and development, engineering and system integration for its key customers and plans to build a new North American headquarters facility in Sterling Heights where it will house office space and manufacturing space for its prototyping operations. The project is expected to generate a minimum capital investment of $3 million and create more than 150 high-wage jobs, supported by a $1.5 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over competing sites in other states.
The project will continue to grow Michigan’s advanced manufacturing and defense sectors and create opportunity for future investment in the state. The expansion will bring immediate, high-wage job growth to the region while retaining the company’s existing Michigan employees.
“We’re very grateful for all that MEDC has done to support our effort to grow our business here in Michigan,” said American Rheinmetall Vehicles Managing Director Matt Warnick. “This new facility allows us a growth path that positions us to increase critical capacity and competition in the combat vehicle defense industrial base in Michigan and the U.S. as a whole.”
The city of Sterling Heights has offered staff time in support of the project. Individuals interested in careers with ARV should visit http://americanrheinmetall.appone.com/
“Sterling Heights continues to be a coveted destination for advanced manufacturing projects like ARV,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael Taylor. “Whether companies are expanding an existing facility or adding new capabilities to their portfolio, Sterling Heights continues to win over competing sites across the nation. The common thread we continue to hear is that the deciding factor is Sterling Heights’ reputation for being welcoming to business, willing to work with industry, and a hub for the customers and talent these projects need to succeed. We look forward to many more exciting projects like ARV bringing desirable jobs and investing in our community.”