OH: Röchling Automotive Finds Home in Akron for $28 Million Investment

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Ohio Department of Development Assistant Director, Kristi Tanner, praised Röchling Automotive for its commitment to investing in the City of Akron. This project represents a more than $28 million investment and is expected to create 123 jobs for Ohioans.

"Akron's polymer manufacturing skills are a perfect match for Röchling's underbody automotive aerodynamic applications," said State Senator Tom Sawyer. "The need is great and the market is almost limitless. Röchling and Akron are a great match."

Through the Ohio Department of Development, Röchling Automotive has received a 50 percent Job Creation Tax Credit, valued at $518,000 that has enabled the company to move forward with its project. The company will hire 123 employees with an average wage of more than $20 in areas including; administrative services, operations, technical assistance, and maintenance.

"Röchling Automotive is vital to Ohio's economy, providing good jobs for Ohioans and demonstrating once again that Ohio is an ideal location for manufacturing," Tanner said. "Ohio is committed to helping Röchling Automotive succeed, and will continue to work with the company as they expand to provide the necessary assistance to keep good manufacturing jobs in Ohio."

Röchling Automotive is part of the Röchling Group, headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, and stands for competence, quality, and innovation in engineering plastics processing. With 55 locations worldwide, it generates sales of more than USD 1.3 billion. Including the new Akron plant, Röchling will operate seven manufacturing locations in the U.S. Röchling Automotive is among the world's leading suppliers of air flow management and acoustics solutions, focusing in particular on achieving reductions in fuel consumption, emissions, and weight.

Georg Duffner, CEO of the Röchling Group, emphasizes the significance of the U.S. market for Röchling: "We see good development prospects in North America for the future as well."

Röchling Automotive plans to construct a new 75,000-square-foot facility, and purchase new machinery and equipment to manufacture products for clients in the auto industry. The company has proprietary technology that is provided to domestic automobile manufacturers, which will be produced at the new Akron facility.

Röchling will also roll out a new product that is currently produced in Europe, which will complement the company's existing technology, assisting automotive manufacturers with meeting fuel efficiency standards. Christoph Kemper, Head of the Customer Center North America at Röchling Automotive USA, is looking forward to "using innovative products to reach values of 40 miles per gallon" and thus achieving "hybrid-like efficiency without the hybrid cost."

Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the nonprofit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.