NEW BALTIMORE, MICH. — A TransNav Technologies Inc. unit in Mexico will gain additional space, machines and people this year. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer on an initial 18,000-square-foot addition to the existing 22,000-square-foot facility of TransNav SA de CV Mexico in Puebla, near Mexico City.
Land is available for more construction. "We intend to build sectionally with the growth of the company," Ilja Vreeken said in a telephone interview.
He is general manager of TransNav Technologies in New Baltimore.
The Puebla site opened in 1997, employs 45 and operates four injection molding machines of 40-250 tons.
"We are getting larger tonnage capacity this year," he said. Within a year, the work force may reach 120, particularly to support additional assembly work.
TransNav's Michigan operations employ 110 and have 28,000 square feet for molding on 35 presses and 22,000 square feet for assembly and mold making.
TransNav had sales of about $30 million for the fiscal year ended Oct. 31, but Vreeken said major volume growth is imminent. "A lot of business in our tooling department is coming into production" starting in mid-2000, he said.
TransNav began making tools in 1981 and started molding parts in 1992.
Separately, TransNav and Strydel Inc. have operated a joint venture in Stryker, Ohio, since 1995.
