NOVI, MI — Tower Automotive announced it has opened a new manufacturing facility in Duisburg, Germany. It is scheduled to begin production in early 2006. The new facility will primarily serve DaimlerChrysler for the production of complete body-in-white assemblies including the front and double cabin door assemblies for the next generation Mercedes-Benz Sprinter light truck.
Tower said that the state-of-the-art plant will be equipped with 23 welding robots and one of the first laser-nap machines in the automotive supply industry, which is used to prepare certain stampings for laser welding. The plant has been designed such that additional manufacturing operations could be added in the future. At peak production, the facility will be able to produce over 2,000 doors per day. Tower expects it will employ approximately 100 workers once the facility becomes completely operational.
“Tower’s business in Europe is strong and growing, and this modern, efficient facility will contribute greatly to our growth strategy,” said Kathleen Ligocki, president and CEO of Tower Automotive. “We greatly value our longstanding partnership with DaimlerChrysler, and look forward to continuing to strengthen that partnership by providing high-quality products from this new plant.”
Earlier this month, Tower Automotive announced the relocation of its Ford Ranger frame assemblies production from the Milwaukee, WI, facility to its facility in Bellevue, OH, which impacted approximately 300 jobs at the Milwaukee location. In June, the company laid off 30 percent of the employees at its Kendallville, IN, plant, due to decreased orders for metal vehicle components.
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