Auto supplier ILJIN has announced a new, $100 million facility to be located in Auburn and employ about 160 people.
The operation will allow ILJIN, which supplies control arms, stabilizer links, ball joints and other components to automakers. to expand into the aluminum forging market.
The facility will produce forged aluminum control arms for several U.S. customers. The raw forgings will be sent to ILJIN’s Greer, S.C. facility for final processing.
The operation will be situated in an existing building in Auburn Technology Park North.
ILJIN Chairman DS Lee said the company has benefitted from keeping its production in the Southeast.
“We have found the U.S., and in particular the state of Alabama, to be the most productive, the most competitive and the highest yielding of all our recent investments,” Lee said.
ILJIN is setting up its new Auburn facility to further increase the U.S.-made content of the company’s products made for the North American market.
“By combining our in-house forging capabilities with world-class technology, we’ll be able to produce the highest quality and lowest cost aluminum forgings for our customers,” John Dix, president of ILJIN USA, said.
Alabama Commerce Secretary Ellen McNair said ILJIN opened its first wheel bearing facility in North America 15 years ago in Phenix City.
“This is yet another success story that shows Alabama has all the ingredients for manufacturing companies to thrive in our great state,” McNair said.
