Manufacturer Adding Hundreds of Jobs
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowA Japan-based manufacturer has announced plans to expand its Morgan County operations and add up to 220 jobs by 2015. TOA USA LLC, which is a subsidiary of TOA Industries Co. Ltd., says it will invest more than $72 million in the project.
April 29, 2014
News Release
Mooresville, Ind. — TOA (USA), LLC, a metal stamping and automotive suspension parts manufacturer, announced plans today to expand its operations here, creating up to 220 new jobs by 2015.
The company, which is a subsidiary of Japan-based TOA Industries Co., Ltd., will invest $72.1 million to construct and equip an additional 360,000 square-feet of manufacturing and warehouse space at its current Mooresville facility. With the expansion expected to be complete in three phases, the first phase will be operational by the end of this year.
“While visiting TOA's headquarters in Ota City last fall, Mr. Iizuka expressed confidence that TOA had selected the right state as home to its U.S. manufacturing operations more than a decade ago,” said Governor Mike Pence. “Announcements like today continue to reaffirm that our jobs mission to Japan was well worth the effort. During that trip, we not only deepened Indiana’s bond with Japanese companies like TOA, but also learned how Indiana can build upon its position as a state that works for international investment, fostering continual growth for our expansive network of Japanese automotive manufacturers and their suppliers.”
During his first gubernatorial overseas jobs and economic development mission to Japan last fall, Pence met with Shinichi Iizuka, chief executive officer of TOA (USA) and president of its parent company, TOA Industries Co., Ltd. During the visit, Pence thanked TOA for its continued confidence in Indiana’s business climate and commitment to Mooresville as one of the community’s largest employers.
TOA (USA), which has more than 460 full-time employees in Indiana, is currently hiring for robotics, engineering and electrician positions. Interested applicants can apply by contacting the company’s human resources department at 317.834.0522, extension 1041.
“We’ve enjoyed building a great relationship with the town of Mooresville and with Indiana,” said Iizuka. “We take great pride in being able to bring forward the investments that will in turn bring economic opportunities to the community.”
Founded in 2000, TOA (USA) manufactures automotive suspension and frame parts, with its Mooresville facility the company’s first and only auto-parts manufacturing plant in the United States. The company’s customers include Subaru of Indiana Automotive in Lafayette, Ind. and Toyota Motor Manufacturing North America in Princeton, Ind. TOA periodically sponsors trips for Mooresville teachers to travel to Japan to expose them to Japanese culture. The most recent delegation of teachers greeted Pence during his visit last September to TOA’s Ota headquarters.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will provide Morgan County with up to $390,000 in infrastructure assistance from the state's Industrial Development Grant Fund. The town of Mooresville offered additional tax abatement and the Mooresville Redevelopment Commission offered additional workforce training incentives at the request of the Morgan County Economic Development Corporation.
“I was fortunate enough to be the town council president when TOA (USA) decided to locate in Mooresville and I’m thrilled to see their growth,” said Mark Mathis, Mooresville Town Council President. “We're happy they made the decision to make our town home, as they have been great corporate partners.”
Indiana is recognized as a hub for international automotive manufacturers and their suppliers, with three Japan-based original equipment manufacturers–Subaru, Toyota and Honda–operating facilities in Indiana. Indiana's motor vehicle industry is the second largest in the U.S., with more than 630 automotive companies calling Indiana home, according to the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
Photo: While visiting TOA’s Japan headquarters in September 2013, Governor Mike Pence is greeted by Shinichi Iizuka, chief executive officer of TOA (USA), and Mooresville teachers Charlene Bische, Angela Pugh and Jason Freeman. Full size photo can be viewed here.
About TOA (USA)
TOA (USA), LLC is a subsidiary of TOA Industries Co., Ltd., both a metal stamping and automotive suspension parts manufacturer. TOA (USA), LLC currently employs 466 full-time employees in its Mooresville, Indiana facility.
About IEDC
Created in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence. Victor Smith serves as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Eric Doden is the president 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 Corp.