ACME, MI- American Axle & Manufacturing plans to invest up to $20 million to build a new tech center in Detroit.
The planned advanced technology development center will focus on developing new light-weight technologies and increasing partnerships and developments with suppliers, according to AAM Chairman, President and CEO David Dauch.
“What we’re looking to do really is to expand what we’re doing with the world class manufacturing standpoint,” he told reporters following the announcement at the 49th annual Center for Automotive Research’s Management Briefing Seminars near Traverse City.
Construction of the new facility is expected to start this fall and take two to three years to complete. It is planned to be located on 350,000 square feet of land near AAM’s world headquarters in Detroit.
In connection to the investment, AAM plans to hire 75-100 new manufacturing and engineering jobs.
The company, according to Dauch, would like the facility to be a catalyst for others, including its own suppliers, to invest in Detroit.
“I think there’s a lot of great things going on in the City of Detroit right now,” he said, mentioning efforts of Detroit business moguls Dan Gilbert and Mike Illitch to revitalize the downtown area. “We want to do a similar thing from an engineering and manufacturing standpoint.”
AAM plans to receive local and/or state tax incentives for the investment, but exact details were not immediately available.
The announcement comes more than two years after AAM ceased manufacturing operations on its Detroit campus. Dauch said the company would “ultimately like to bring some manufacturing back to Detroit, if it makes business sense.”
The new facility, Dauch said, also is expected to house some training operations and a customer showcase for its products.
Dauch, who was appointed CEO in August 2012, was featured in a session to discuss “Mapping the Pathway to World-Class Manufacturing” with other automotive executives, including Jon Minto, senior vice president of Honda North America, Cathy Clegg, General Motors Co. North America manufacturing president, and others.
Much of the discussions and presentations Monday morning focused manufacturing advancements and bringing and retaining young talent to the automotive industry and Michigan.
Nearly 1,000 industry experts, executives and public officials are expected to attend the annual conference from Monday through Thursday at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa in Acme, Mich.
This year’s conference features 11 topical seminars focused on global manufacturing strategies, lightweighting, connected and autonomous vehicles, powertrain developments, sales forecasting, human resources, logistics, purchasing, designing for technology, and capital investment.
