FCA Division Magneti Marelli Will Retool Plant in Independence Township

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Magneti Marelli Spa, part of FCA, will invest $35 million to expand its domestic automotive lighting production capacity by converting an existing plant in Independence Township into a facility dedicated to the production of advanced headlamps.

The new plant layout and activity is expected to create more than 360 jobs over five years. As a result of the expansion, the company was awarded a $2 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Independence Township also offered support for the project in the form of a property tax abatement.

Automotive Lighting, the subsidiary of Magneti Marelli Spa, says in recent years it has taken on new orders in the automotive lighting sector from local and North American sources.

“The U.S. market is becoming more and more important for Magneti Marelli,” says Pietro Gorlier, CEO of Magneti Marelli. “This investment enables a more powerful production platform for the lighting business, supporting in the best way possible our local customers in the Michigan region. It reaffirms our commitment and trust in the Michigan industrial and economic system where we have our regional headquarters, an R&D center, and (where) we employ about 380 people”.

Automotive Lighting develops, manufactures, and sells automotive exterior lighting products for all major OEMs worldwide.

With 89 production units, 12 R&D centers, and 30 application centers in 19 countries, the company has approximately 40,500 employees. The business areas include electronic systems, lighting, powertrain, suspension and shock absorbing systems, exhaust systems, aftermarket parts and services, plastic components and modules, and motorsports.