Illinois Company Expanding In Indiana

April 11, 2012

News Release

West Lafayette, Ind. -- Automotive Robotics Indiana Labs, Inc., a related company of Automotive Robotics Proving Labs, Inc. that provides electronics, engineering design and manufacturing services, announced plans today to locate a new facility here, creating up to 30 jobs by 2013.

The Illinois-based company, which provides emissions testing for engine original equipment manufacturers, will invest $10 million to build a 50,000 square-foot facility on a five-acre site in the Purdue Research Park. This new facility, which will house test cells and prototype build areas for engine testing, is slated to be operational next year.

"Automotive Robotics' decision to locate its newest facility in Indiana is testament to the magnetic effect Indiana has on innovative companies," said Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "With the collaborative efforts of many partners, Indiana is able to provide the most advantageous business climate in the nation for nurturing emergent companies."

Automotive Robotics, which currently employs approximately 125 associates nationwide, plans to begin hiring engineering, management and technician associates to coincide with facility opening.

"We are excited about expanding our relationship with Caterpillar on this important project and to developing a significant presence in the state of Indiana," said Ravi Gudapati, chief executive officer of Automotive Robotics. "This new facility enables Caterpillar to perform state of the art testing in order to bring engines to market that meet tough new emission and fuel economy requirements."

Founded in 2006 as a project engineering firm, Automotive Robotics expanded its services in 2008 to include an engine testing division. The company serves global clients including Fortune 100 companies in the automotive, agricultural, heavy engineering and electrical equipment industries.

"We know that Automotive Robotics was being recruited by other states and areas and we are pleased that they are moving into our community," said West Lafayette Mayor John Dennis. "The opening of this facility is the fruition of several months of collaboration and it creates high quality jobs and opportunities for residents in the Greater Lafayette area."

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Automotive Robotics Indiana Labs, Inc. up to $300,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The Tippecanoe County Commissioners and the city of West Lafayette will support the project through additional incentives.

"The realization of this new facility epitomizes the strong commitment we have to facilitating collaborations among industry and Purdue," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and chief operating officer of the Purdue Research Foundation. "The project also will help leverage the research and development strengths of Automotive Robotics. They are the first high-tech company to build in the Phase 3 section of Purdue Research Park."

Automotive Robotics decision to locate a new facility in West Lafayette comes just two weeks after Genport SRL, a developer of high-energy electric generators and batteries, announced plans to establish its North American headquarters at the Purdue Research Park. As part of the project, the company will invest $2 million and create up to 20 new jobs by 2015.

About Automotive Robotics

Automotive Robotics is a Global End to End Engineering Company serving customers in the areas of Embedded Software, Controls Development, Mechanical Design & Analysis, Manufacturing Engineering & Quality, Engine Testing & Data Analysis through its 3 delivery centers & 800 engineers located globally. For more information about Automotive Robotics, visit www.autorobinc.com.

About Purdue Research Park

The Purdue Research Park (www.purdueresearchpark.com) has the largest university-affiliated business incubator complex in the country. The Purdue Research Park has four sites in the state of Indiana located in West Lafayette, Indianapolis, Merrillville and New Albany. The nearly 200 companies in the park network employ about 4,000 people who work in various high-tech fields including life sciences, engineering, information technology, agriculture and manufacturing.

About IEDC

Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Dan Hasler serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC.
The IEDC oversees programs enacted by the General Assembly including tax credits, workforce training grants and public infrastructure assistance. All tax credits are performance-based. Therefore, companies must first invest in Indiana through job creation or capital investment before incentives are paid. A company who does not meet its full projections only receives a percentage of the incentives proportional to its actual investment. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

Source: Indiana Economic Development Corporation

April 11, 2012

News Release

West Lafayette, Ind. - Automotive Robotics Proving Labs Inc. and Purdue University officials on Wednesday (April 11) announced plans to open a nearly 50,000-square-foot engine test facility and create 30 jobs in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette.

The $10 million facility will be built on a five-acre site in the Purdue Research Park, north of Kalberer Road. A groundbreaking is scheduled for late spring, and the facility is expected to be complete and operational in mid-2013. The structure will house several test cells and prototype build areas that will facilitate testing and analysis of existing and new engine designs for Caterpillar Inc. like the engines produced at the company's facility in Lafayette, Ind. It will be owned and managed by the Peoria, Ill.-based Automotive Robotics Proving Labs, a company that specializes in the engineering services and natural gas and diesel engine testing.

"We are excited about expanding our relationship with Caterpillar on this important project and to develop a significant presence in the state of Indiana." said Ravi Gudapati, president of Automotive Robotics Proving Labs. "This new facility supports Caterpillar by performing state-of-the-art testing on engines that meet tough new emission and fuel economy requirements."

Indiana, West Lafayette, Tippecanoe County and Purdue Research Foundation officials have worked with Automotive Robotics Proving Labs and Caterpillar representatives from Lafayette for several months to bring the facility to the Greater Lafayette area.

"The realization of this new facility epitomizes the strong commitment we have to facilitating collaborations among industry and Purdue," said Joseph B. Hornett, senior vice president, treasurer and COO of the Purdue Research Foundation. "The project also will help leverage the research and development strengths of Automotive Robotics Proving Labs. They are the first high-tech company to build in the Phase 3 section of Purdue Research Park. In addition to the five acres to be developed for the facility, another five to 15 acres is available for future expansions."

The 725-acre Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette is the largest university-affiliated incubation complex in the country. Earlier development of Phase 1 and 2 in the park now supports about 160 companies and 3,200 jobs. The average annual wage for employees in the park network is $63,000.

"The opening of Automotive Robotics Proving Labs in this area is the fruition of several months of collaboration among several groups including the state of Indiana, Tippecanoe County and Purdue Research Park," said John Dennis, mayor of West Lafayette. "This facility creates high-quality jobs and opportunities for residents in the Greater Lafayette area."

Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and chief executive officer of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, said the state of Indiana works diligently to create an environment conducive to economic development.

"Automotive Robotics' decision to locate its newest facility in Indiana is testament to the magnetic effect Indiana has on innovative companies," Hasler said. "With the collaborative efforts of many partners, Indiana is able to provide the most advantageous business climate in the nation for nurturing emergent companies."

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Automotive Robotics Proving Labs up to $300,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. Combined, Purdue Research Foundation, the state of Indiana, West Lafayette and Tippecanoe County provided incentives totaling about $4.5 million in the form of training grants, land acquisition, sewage development and infrastructure construction to bring the project to Tippecanoe County.

Source: Purdue University