New North America Headquarters opened in Novi (MI), USA – Technical Center strengthens innovation leadership

Autoneum yesterday inaugurated its new North America Headquarters in Novi (Michigan), USA. Through close proximity of its Administrative and Technical Center to the automobile hub in Detroit, the world market leader in acoustic and thermal management is ensuring close collaboration with customers and suppliers.

Autoneum continues to invest in the automotive market of North America with a new Headquarters facility in the USA. At a grand opening ceremony, the new North America Headquarters with an integrated Technical Center for acoustic and thermal management was inaugurated yesterday by Martin Hirzel, CEO of Autoneum, and John Lenga, Head of Business Group North America. Martin Hirzel stressed the importance of this investment in the USA, the world’s second-largest automotive market. “Over 45 percent of our Group’s net sales are generated by Business Group North America in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Given the importance of this market we have invested over 270 million Swiss francs in development and expansion of our North American development and production capacities since the spin-off in 2011 and created around 1200 additional full-time jobs – more than 700 of those in the USA alone”, said Martin Hirzel.

After nine months of construction time, staff moved in to the new Novi premises in Michigan a few weeks ago. The new Autoneum facility brings together research and development activities in the North American market with the management of Business Group North America. “Our new Technical Center here in Novi sets the stage to better meet regional customer and market requirements. This facility enables us to further extend our innovation leadership in a profitable way”, underlined John Lenga.

The Technical Center marks a significant expansion of the Company’s development capabilities in North America. In addition to the development and adaptation of noise- and heat-reducing vehicle components for the North American market, vehicle predevelopment studies with customers will also be conducted. The Technical Center features state-of-the art laboratories and an expanded development space that gives Autoneum new capabilities for simulation and testing of components, production lines and processes. Integrating administration functions with the Technology Center will both intensify cooperation between development, purchasing and sales and ensure optimal use of synergy with the Competence Center for New Mobility established in early 2017 in Sunnyvale, California.

The new facility encompasses more than 7,800 square meters (84,000 square feet), with an environment designed to promote innovation and collaboration among the 175 employees. Modern workplaces and meeting rooms equipped with the latest media technology facilitate efficient collaboration between the North America Headquarters, the Group Headquarters in Switzerland and the sites around the world.

In North America, Autoneum operates eight production facilities in the USA (Aiken/SC, Bloomsburg/PA, Jeffersonville/IN, Oregon/OH, UGN: Jackson/TN, Monroe/OH, Somerset/KY, Valparaiso/IN), two in Canada (London/ON, Tillsonburg/ON) and three in Mexico (Hermosillo, San Luis Potosí, UGN: Silao) as well as two development centers (Novi/MI, Sunnyvale/CA). 4350 employees, 3650 of them in the USA, make sure that customers in North America benefit from lightweight and multifunctional components for acoustic and thermal management in vehicles. Autoneum customers in North America include all US OEMs as well as German and Japanese OEMs.