Findlay, Ohio – Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies plans to expand its Findlay, Ohio, automotive sealing facility and hire new employees to meet increasing customer requirements.
Freudenberg-NOK’s Findlay plant produces approximately 700 high-performance plastic parts for customers including vehicle manufacturers and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers. Company executives officially announced the company will pursue a 43,000ft2 factory expansion that could result in retaining 148 jobs and creating 25 new jobs at the plant. Final company decisions are dependent on formal approval of all state of Ohio workforce and incentive programs.
The company expects to invest approximately $8.6 million in construction and equipment upgrades, and the expansion and construction will be complete by winter, 2015.
“Freudenberg-NOK’s Findlay facility is a benchmark for lean manufacturing and production of quality components so it is not surprising that escalating customer demand offers us tremendous new opportunities for business expansion in Ohio,” says Dr. Theodore G. Duclos, president, Freudenberg-NOK. “We anticipate that this expansion will help us better serve existing and new customers with quality sealing products.”
Findlay has become the company’s lead facility in the successful adoption of Single Cavity Net Shape Molding. The single cavity approach uses compact, custom-engineered, one-cavity injection and compression molding machines rather than multi-cavity machines to produce crucial thermoplastic parts. The process improves part quality and reduces scrap and waste.
“This project is a tremendous testament to the skills of our people and the success of our processes in Findlay,” says Roy Schroeder, lead center manager, Fluid Power Automotive, Findlay. “This plant expansion will allow us to continue our pursuit of world-class manufacturing processes and products and expand our markets.”
The plant currently manufacturers 185 million seals and related components annually and anticipates the new addition will increase production by approximately 25% a year.
Source: Freudenberg-NOK Sealing Technologies