Denso Manufacturing Michigan (DMMI), which produces automotive air conditioning and engine cooling components and systems, has announced a $53.6m expansion at its parts making operations in Battle Creek.
The expansion will add new manufacturing lines for advanced thermal systems, additional laboratories for new product testing and validation, as well as expanding logistics and packaging operations.
The investment includes the addition of a North Logistics Center, covering 20,100 sq. m of warehouse space. That building will support activity at DMMI with warehousing parts and packaging, as well as shipping and receiving for some customers.
The facility is one of two Denso has purchased in the Fort Custer Industrial Park, which increases its footprint to include over 121,000 sq. m of space for manufacturing, warehousing, product testing, and other support functions.
The second building will be dedicated to new product testing, engineering process changes and other product reliability testing for its Battle Creek, Arkansas, Canada and Mexico thermal plant locations.
“Denso’s Battle Creek facility is the hub for all of our thermal production in North America,” said Shingo Kuwamura, president of DMMI and CEO of Denso Thermal Systems North American Center. “This investment allows us to expand our ‘next generation’ manufacturing and testing capabilities, while also creating space to lead our training and leadership programmes as we develop our employee’s ‘next generation’ job skills.”
DMMI’s customers include Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford, Fiat, Subaru, Hyundai, John Deere, CNH Global, and Cummins.
