Newsroom Lear Corporation Breaks Ground on New Facility in Flint
SOUTHFIELD, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA), a leading global supplier of automotive
seating and electrical systems, today broke ground on a new seat
manufacturing facility located on the former site of the historic Buick
City complex in Flint, Mich.
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Ray Scott, executive vice president of Lear Corporation and president of
Lear's seating business, was joined by Flint Mayor Karen Weaver and Tom
McMillen, executive director, Interiors & Safety, Global Purchasing &
Supply Chain at General Motors.
Jason Scott, global vice president for Lear's GM seating group,
presented an informational overview including specific plans for the
Flint plant, and Gerald Kariem, Director of UAW Region 1D, provided
additional remarks.
Lear's Flint seating plant will be the first major automotive supplier
manufacturing facility constructed in Flint in more than 30 years. Plans
call for the 156,000-sq.ft. facility to begin production of seats by
April 2018. The world-class facility will employ approximately 600
workers, when it reaches full production. Thirty percent of the 33-plus
acre site will be green space.
Lear chose the Buick City site for a number of reasons including: its
proximity to the homes of many of its workers, the location of the GM
plant, as well as the corporation's objective to give back to the
communities in which it operates. The Flint area has been hard hit in
recent years, and Lear also wants to bring manufacturing back to the
area since many manufacturing jobs in Flint have been lost over the past
several decades.
Flint holds sentimental value for Ray Scott, who grew up in Flint
and worked while attending the University of Michigan-Flint delivering
parts just-in-time to General Motors.
"I have a lot of pride in Flint; it helped shape who I am today," he
said. "We had options for other locations that we considered, but what
was important to us was that this was the right thing to do from a
community standpoint. To build a modern, state of the art facility at
that location is very symbolic and historic."
Lear worked with GM and the City of Flint while deciding on the location
for the new manufacturing facility. The Michigan Strategic Fund board
approved a $4.35-million Michigan Business Development Program
performance-based grant to support Lear's $29.3-million capital
investment at the site, which includes the subassembly and final
assembly of automotive seats.
"We have a long relationship with Lear during its 100 years of
business," said Mr. McMillen. "Lear has earned GM's coveted Supplier of
the Year designation 16 times and our partnership continues as we both
commit to this next phase for Flint. Our next-generation vehicles to be
produced in Flint are our newest step in almost $3 billion we have
invested in Flint since 2009."
"We are proud to partner with Lear on this exciting new project," said
Mayor Weaver. "We are pleased to have established a good relationship
with a company that has demonstrated it supports the communities where
it does business. This project will provide opportunities for Flint
residents and an overall positive impact on our local economy. Both Lear
and the City of Flint are looking positively to the future."
About Lear Corporation
Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA) was founded in Detroit in 1917 as American
Metal Products. In 2017, the Company will celebrate its 100th year
anniversary. Lear is one of the world's leading suppliers of automotive
seating and electrical distribution systems. Lear serves every major
automaker in the world, and Lear content can be found on more than 400
vehicle nameplates. Lear's world-class products are designed, engineered
and manufactured by a diverse team of approximately 156,000 employees
located in 38 countries. Lear currently ranks #151 on the Fortune 500.
Lear's headquarters are in Southfield, Michigan. Further information
about Lear is available at lear.com or follow us on Twitter
@LearCorporation.
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LearMel Stephens248.447.1624
Source: Lear Corporation
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Posted on 10/2/2017
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