The Shyft Group Inc., a commercial vehicle upfitter based in Novi, is expanding its collaboration with Isuzu North America Corp., positioning Shyft, the company says, to grow its business and establish new operations near Isuzu’s future production facility in Greenville County, S.C.
As part of the transition, Shyft will continue assembling key Isuzu vehicle lines, including the N-Series Gas, N-Series EV, and F-Series trucks, at its Charlotte (southwest of Lansing), campus throughout the multi-year production ramp-up in Greenville. Shyft also will support the planning and launch of Isuzu’s new facility, ensuring production continuity and a smooth transition.
“This next chapter in our collaboration with Isuzu, which began in 2011, not only reaffirms Shyft’s role as a trusted assembly partner but also positions us to expand our capabilities and deliver even greater value to Isuzu and our customers,” says Jacob Farmer, president of fleet vehicles and services and specialty vehicles at The Shyft Group.
“We are investing in growth — expanding our footprint, advancing new upfit solutions, vehicle bodies, and platforms — that will strengthen our business and drive long-term success for both companies.”
Shyft and Isuzu also are advancing plans to establish Shyft as a long-term upfit and vehicle solutions provider supporting Isuzu’s North American operations.
As part of this effort, Shyft is developing a dedicated upfit and modification center near the Greenville plant, expected to support Port-Installed Options (PIO), final vehicle modifications, and other upfit services for vehicles produced at the site.
Additionally, Shyft is preparing to introduce a new body program designed to meet the needs of the North American market, aligning its manufacturing and upfit capabilities with growing demand for purpose-built commercial vehicle solutions. Further details on the body program will be announced in the near future.
“Expanding Isuzu’s U.S. production footprint is a pivotal step in our long-term growth strategy,” says Noboru Murakami, president of Isuzu North America Corp. “We expect that Shyft’s deep assembly and upfit expertise will play a critical role as we build and scale this new production facility, and we value their continued support as we work together to deliver best-in-class commercial vehicles to the North American market.”
Isuzu’s 1,000,000-square-foot Greenville facility will consolidate production, vehicle preparation, and logistics operations under one roof, enhancing efficiency and supporting Isuzu’s North American growth plans. Initial production is expected to begin in 2027, with further expansion in 2028.
Once fully operational, the plant will have the capacity to produce up to 50,000 vehicles annually and employ more than 700 people. The transition will be executed gradually to minimize disruptions and ensure a reliable supply of vehicles to customers.
Shyft currently employs approximately 2,900 employees and contractors across its campuses. It operates facilities in Michigan, Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Saltillo, Mexico.
For more information, visit theshyftgroup.com.
