Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake Expands In Bowling Green, KY

Posted by Heidi Schwartz

Bendix Spicer assembly line worker.
Photo: Joshua Lindsey.

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake LLC, a maker of commercial vehicle brake and safety systems, unveiled its expanded manufacturing facility. The $8.4 million investment includes implementation of state-of-the art manufacturing technology and supports its substantial new business growth. The facility also has added two additional machining centers and 75 new jobs.

“Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake (BSFB) has been extremely successful in Bowling Green,” said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. “We’re always glad to see a company grow in Kentucky, in this case adding 75 new jobs and investing more than $8 million into this expansion. I want to thank the company for its continued investment in our workforce and hundreds of Kentucky families.”

More growth is in the works for the company. BSFB expects to add two more machining centers, an additional assembly line and 15 new jobs in 2015, with another assembly line planned for 2016 as part of this expansion investment.

A joint venture between Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC and Dana Commercial Vehicle Products LLC, Bendix manufactures Bendix® air disc and drum brakes in Bowling Green. Since 2009, annual production levels at the facility have increased more than five times due to the growing popularity of air disc brakes in North America.

BSFB’s Bowling Green wheel-end production facility opened in 2007 to manufacture the full lineup of Bendix® foundation brake products. At its opening, the plant employed 133 people and occupied 187,000 square feet. Since then, continued success and expansion have taken the plant to 302,000 square feet and a projected 440 employees in 2015.

“I am excited Bendix is expanding its manufacturing facility in Bowling Green,” said Sen. Mike Wilson, of Bowling Green. “Bendix is a valuable part of our community and its investment reaffirms the quality of Bowling Green’s workforce.”

“When it comes to the automotive and auto components manufacturing industry, Bowling Green is becoming a key center of activity,” said Rep. Jim DeCesare, of Bowling Green. “The decision by Bendix to expand its operations here only further illustrates how our city, our county and our Commonwealth are at the epicenter of the U.S. auto manufacturing economy.”

“It’s not the number of companies in a community that make that location a success; it is the quality of businesses that thrive there,” said Bowling Green Mayor Bruce Wilkerson. “Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake exemplifies a company that has garnered not only the community’s respect, but the respect of leaders in their industry around the world. I look forward to their leadership as we continue to grow our presence in the automotive industry.”

“BSFB has set the standard for what a successful business looks like—a partnership in business, community and education,” said Warren County Judge-Executive Michael Buchanon. “It is a privilege to be a part of their growth and I look forward to their continued success.”

Bendix Spicer Foundation Brake has long been an important partner in south central Kentucky. In addition to outstanding growth within the last decade, the company continues to have an impact on the economy through its work with local students. In 2015, the company will announce a new collaboration aimed at introducing middle and high school students to careers available in advanced manufacturing.

To encourage the investment and job growth in Warren County, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $500,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.