Hundreds of Jobs Coming to Nearby Walton County with Expansion of Hitachi Automotive Systems

Gov. Nathan Deal announced in a press release on Tuesday that the Monroe-based Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc. will expand its operations in Walton County, creating 250 new jobs and investing $80 million.
 
“Yet another prominent, innovative international company has made a commitment to grow in Georgia,” Deal said. “Walton County and its workforce deserve a lot of credit for providing a progressive business-friendly, work-ready environment that invites existing industries to keep investing there.”
 
The facility, formerly Unisia of Georgia Corp., was established in Monroe in 1996 as a fully owned subsidiary of Hitachi America, Ltd. Monroe and Walton County officials have been working on a deal for a long time and knew for a while that the local plant was being seriously considered and was one of the frontrunners for the expansing. According to the release, Deal met with top executives of the parent company during his business mission to Japan in 2012.
 
“In order to expand our operations, we have to remain competitive with our sister plants around world and other competitors,” said vice president of operations for Hitachi Automotive Systems America Yoshitaka Mizokawa.
 
“We’ve been able to bring additional business to Georgia because of a strong workforce, and based on our past history, a strong relationship with Walton County and the local community,” said director of finance for Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas Michael Schoon.
 
The facility is continuing to add new products that are both energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, and this expansion moves the company closer to its customers. The facility employs almost 300 full-time and 75 part-time workers at its current 230,000-square-foot operation, which produces valve timing mechanisms, propeller shafts and power steering systems for a number of automakers. The expansion will require an additional 290,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its current two buildings. To ensure its workforce will be ready to begin operations the day the new plant opens, the facility will take advantage of the services of Georgia Quick Start, the top-ranked workforce training program in the United States.