At the SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbor, Maryland, Weastec, Inc. President and CEO Yasuhiko “Nick” Ida announced the company will invest more than $3 million to expand its Technical Center in the Columbus Region of Ohio and evolve the technological advancements in the automotive industry. Weastec, which designs and develops vehicle electrical components, plans to immediately add 20 engineering, technical and administrative jobs.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, JobsOhio Senior Managing Director of Automotive Kristi Tanner, and Columbus 2020 Managing Director, Global Trade & Investments Deborah Scherer joined Ida for the signing of a certificate of recognition following the announcement.
The company plans to use the investment to enhance its Dublin, Ohio, facility with capabilities to conduct R&D and testing that are currently only being done at its Japanese headquarters. Weastec will add new equipment, upgrade technology infrastructure and provide workforce training at the Dublin location. The company also has a manufacturing and distribution facility in Hillsboro, Ohio.
“We are excited to bring new technology and capabilities that have only been available in our Japan facilities to our Dublin location,” said Ida. “The rapid changes in the automotive and vehicle industries are driving new opportunities for us in the United States, and the timing is right for us to invest in our operations here in the Columbus Region.”
Weastec has been in Dublin since 2005, and currently employs 184 people at both Ohio locations. It operates as a subsidiary of Japanese company TOYODENSO Co., Ltd., and is one of its satellite design and development centers. Weastec received a research and development center grant from JobsOhio to support its expansion in the Columbus Region.
“We’re thrilled about Weastec’s continued successes in Dublin, and to be able to support the expansion of a company with such a long history in our region,” said Dublin City Manager Dana McDaniel. “Our ability to continue to attract and grow high tech companies and support them with skilled talent validates the culture of innovation in Dublin.”
“Toyodenso’s groundbreaking research is creating the next level of interface between human passengers and the vehicles that they ride in,” said Tanner. “We and our partners at Columbus 2020 are excited to see some of this new R&D come to Weastec, which strengthens the company’s presence in Ohio.”
The Columbus Region is at the forefront of automotive technology and smart mobility as the U.S. Department of Transportation Smart City and nation’s living laboratory for the advancement of smart transportation. The Region’s manufacturers produce 700,000 cars a year, with an economic input that exceeds $1.4 billion annually. Nearly 18,000 employees make up the highly skilled manufacturing workforce, making the region’s automotive share of employment four times greater than the U.S. average.
About Weastec, Inc.
Weastec, Inc. designs and develops vehicle electronic components. It offers electro-mechanical switches, sensors and electronic modules for automotive, power sports, and power equipment or F1 racing applications. The company was incorporated in 1986 and is based in Hillsboro, Ohio, with a design center in Tsurugashima, Japan. It also has satellite design and development centers in Hillsboro and Dublin, Ohio; Shanghai, China, and Kabin Buri, Thailand. Weastec, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of TOYODENSO Co., Ltd.
Learn more at Weastec.com or toyo-denso.co.jp/en/.
About JobsOhio
JobsOhio is a private, nonprofit corporation designed to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention and expansion efforts. JobsOhio works with six regional partners across Ohio: Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, Columbus 2020, Dayton Development Coalition, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership and Team NEO. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.
About Columbus 2020
As the economic development organization for the Columbus Region, Columbus 2020’s mission is to generate opportunity and build capacity for economic growth across 11 Central Ohio counties. In 2010, hundreds of business and community leaders developed the Columbus 2020 Regional Growth Strategy, and the Columbus Region is now experiencing the strongest decade of growth in its history. The Columbus 2020 team conducts business outreach, promotes the Columbus Region to market-leading companies around the world, conducts customized research to better understand the Columbus Region’s competitiveness, and works to leverage public, private and institutional partnerships. Funding is received from more than 300 private organizations, local governments, academic institutions and JobsOhio. Learn more at ColumbusRegion.com.
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