Behr America Heads for Michigan's Automation Alley
1 June 2000
Behr America Selects Site for New Headquarters
WALLED LAKE, Mich. - The Behr Group, Europe's leading supplier of automotive
air conditioning and engine cooling systems, has acquired land near I-75 and
Rochester Road in Troy, MI, for the development of a new $30-million corporate
headquarters and technical center, according to Hans Lange, president of
Behr America.
Work on Behr America's new 80,000-square-foot headquarters complex is
scheduled to begin this summer with completion in the late spring of 2001,
Lange said. The 8.5-acre site is located east of I-75 between Rochester and
Big Beaver roads.
Lange said the new facility will enable Behr to keep pace with a
growing demand for its products in North America, take advantage of
Behr Group synergies and provide additional technical support for
major auto manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors and DaimlerChrysler.
"The new facility is part of a $120-million investment being made
by the Behr Group in North America to increase the company's presence
in this important market," Lange said. "Our plan is to more than double our
North American sales from above $220-million last year to approximately $500-
million by 2005."
Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said Behr's decision to
locate its North America headquarters and research facilities in Troy was yet
another example of the county's attraction for high-tech businesses.
"Oakland County's Automation Alley concept has become an increasingly
powerful magnet for drawing high-tech enterprises to the area," Patterson
said. "We are especially pleased that Behr chose not only to make its
headquarters here, but also decided to develop a major technical center in
Oakland County as well."
Mayor Jeanne M. Stine of Troy added, "On behalf of the Troy City Council
and the citizens of Troy, we applaud Behr's decision to relocate their new
corporate headquarters and technical center within our community."
Behr recently received a $6.5-million Michigan tax credit over 18 years
from the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) for the project, which is
expected to directly or indirectly create more than 200 new jobs, including
more than 100 at Behr America.
In announcing the MEGA grant, Michigan Governor John Engler noted that Behr
also was about to open a new, multi-million-dollar manufacturing facility
near Lansing, MI.
"This is the second time within the past two years that Behr America has
selected Michigan for a major expansion of its North American operations,"
Engler said. "The current project will create a number of high-paying jobs
and represents an important investment in the growing high-tech sector of
Michigan's economy."
The expansion project is expected to generate more than $24.8 million in
revenue to the state over the life of the agreement and produce $310 million
in personal income, according to an economic analysis done by the University of
Michigan.
Lange, who also is a member of the Behr Group's board of management, said
the new Michigan plant near Lansing in Webberville, MI, will employ an
additional 125 people. Production will include the first electronically
actuated engine-cooling clutches built in North America for Detroit-based
customers.
The 60,000-square-foot Webberville plant not only will house assembly
operations, but also a product center with development, design, engineering and
testing capabilities for fans, clutches and other engine cooling components.
Grand opening ceremonies are scheduled on June 7. The product center is
scheduled to be fully operational by December.
Behr America is part of the Behr Group, a leading global supplier of
climate control and engine cooling systems for automotive, commercial and
off-highway vehicle markets. Headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, Behr has
more than 12,500 employees with facilities in eight countries.
Behr America has approximately 1,100 employees at facilities in
Charleston, SC; Canton, SD; Walled Lake, MI, and Fort Worth, TX. Its
corporate headquarters currently are in Charleston, S.C.