Gray skies and a few drizzles failed in any way to dampen the spirits of the team at JR Automation along Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville just ahead of the lunch hour today as they held ground breaking ceremonies on their long-planned expansion project which will invest nearly two million dollars into the Lincoln Charter Township facility and create 60 new high tech jobs over the next three years.
Noting the large yellow earthmover from the neighboring Hollerbach Excavating Company behind him as a backdrop, JR Automation’s CEO Bryan Jones told his cast and crew and others on hand today that they prefer to use local and regional contractors whenever possible for their expansion work rather that importing large multi-national firms as their resources, because community is very important to them. Having built six facilities in their headquarters market of Holland, Michigan, Jones calls the general contracting team at Lakewood Construction of Holland, true partners in every sense, who enable JR Automation to grow and prosper.
Less than a month ago Lincoln Charter Township officials, working in concert with Rob Cleveland’s team at Cornerstone Alliance and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, paved the way for today’s ground breaking when they approved a tax abatement for the new 25,000 square foot expansion which is expected to be completed by this coming December. The result of the expansion plan is 60 new high wage jobs for skilled engineers and others at the facility along Red Arrow Highway which has been the home for years of Dane Systems which was acquired by JR Automation several years ago.
JR Automation, with annual sales north of $300-million, is also expanding into a brand new, 50,000 square foot, facility in Liberty, South Carolina with a $3.4-million investment and 56 new jobs over the next several years there as well. That facility is slated to go online this month. The firm services the Tier 1 automotive industry, but also works with the aerospace, medical device, pharmaceutical, construction, food processing, consumer products, environmental and furniture industries as well.
Cornerstone Alliance President Rob Cleveland says, “JR Automation is a growing company, with sites across the country and we are grateful they’ve chosen to invest and create high-paying, high-skilled jobs in Berrien County.” He adds, “As a long-time member of the Michigan family, JR Automation understands the positive business climate and advantages of doing business in the State of Michigan. Their belief in the ability to find skilled labor in Southwest Michigan is evident in their decision to grow in Berrien County.”
According to Cleveland, the expansion efforts of JR Automation Technologies were the result of a collaborative effort among economic development partners. Cleveland says, “JR Automation’s growth in Michigan’s Great Southwest would not have happened without the diligence and support from Lincoln Charter Township and Berrien County Drain Commissioner, Chris Quattrin. Cornerstone Alliance is grateful for the great work they did to make this expansion a reality.”
CEO Bryan Jones echoed those thoughts in his remarks before a company luncheon today, applauding the work of Lincoln Township and the Drain Commissioner in helping clear regulatory hurdles that originally had threatened to block the expansion plan. Jones also reiterated his thoughts on the local market, noting, “Southwest Michigan is a great place to live and raise a family and we are excited to be offering new job opportunities to the workforce here. We look forward to the continued opportunities that will be generated in this community through JR’s expansion.”
Established in 1980, JR Automation is a leading provider of intelligent automated manufacturing technology solutions that solve customers’ key operational and productivity challenges. JR serves customers across the globe in a variety of industries, including automotive, medical device, aerospace, and more. In 2016, JR Automation hired over 250 new technical employees with significant growth to continue in the coming years.
