The U.S. division of Kolbenschmidt Pierburg (Germany) has opened its new R&D / Technical center in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
The 60,000 square foot facility is home to engineering, R&D, product validation, and related functions.
Approximately 70 employees have relocated to Auburn Hills from an older, smaller facility in nearby Southfield. Another lab in Ft. Wayne, Indiana will be consolidated into Auburn Hills.
Auburn Hills is one of three similarly-oriented centers operated by Kolbenschmidt; the others are in Mexico and Brazil.
Enticing Kolbenschmidt Piergurg's move were a $3.4 million, 8-year tax credit package from Michigan's Economic Development Corp., and $148,000 in property tax abatements.
Kolbenschmidt Pierburg manufactures KS engine bearings and a number of other products for the automotive industry. It is #57 on the Automotive News top 100 global OEM parts suppliers to auto and truck manufacturers worldwide.
Kolbenschmidt's KS Bearings division produces bearings, thrust washers, and small-end bushings for automotive and heavy-duty truck engines The division is targeting North American OEM automotive applications and expanding its engine bearing product line. The division also produces metallic transmission bushings and washers.
In all, parent Kolbenschmidt Pierburg AG has four operations in North America, with production facilities in Fountain Inn, South Carolina (bearings); Greensburg, Indiana (bearing strip); Fort Wayne, Indiana (pistons); Marinette, Wisconsin (pistons), and Leamington, Ontario, Canada (pistons). Its North American sales offices, for the OEM auto and truck industry, were also in Southfield.
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