Manufacturers Invest $65M To Expand Northwest Ohio Facilities

Structural automotive component and assemblies’ supplier Autokiniton will invest $15 million so it can use 43,000 square feet of manufacturing space at its Northwest Ohio facility for new manufacturing work. The Bellevue, OH company’s expansion will create 150 new jobs in Sandusky County. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved a Job Creation Tax Credit for the company.

Autokiniton, a Tier 1 supplier, was awarded new business to manufacture frames for the Ford F150 Lightning electric truck. The project includes a production assembly line featuring new equipment and machinery. Upgrades will begin in January of 2023 with production expected to launch in August 2023.

The Bellevue community and workforce were key factors in the company’s decision to expand at the Bellevue facility, according to Reid Southby, Chief Operating Officer, Autokiniton. “We have a highly skilled and trained workforce which is critical when launching a new vehicle in the EV market,” he explained.

Local, regional and statewide economic development groups, including Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation, the Regional Growth Partnership and JobsOhio collaborated to bring the project to fruition.

“With the competitive labor market, the combined groups have helped us validate our decision to expand in Northwest Ohio,” Southby added.

Autokiniton has 36 manufacturing & design facilities across the U.S., in addition to facilities in Mexico, Brazil and India. In total, Autokiniton has more than 8.3 million square feet of manufacturing floor space. Globally, the company supports nearly every automotive manufacturer, including emerging EV manufacturers.

“As OEMs shift toward increased electric vehicle production, more Tier 1 auto suppliers such as Autokiniton are looking to Ohio to establish electrification operations,” said J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO, JobsOhio. “Autokiniton’s diversification of its Bellevue facility will support new manufacturing of frames for the new Ford F150 Lighting electric truck while bringing 150 new jobs to Sandusky County.”