Urbana, Ill.-based Flex-N-Gate plans to invest $2.2 million and create 50 jobs opening a research and development center in Sterling Heights, Mich.
The new facility, Flex-N-Gate Advanced Product Development LLC, won the automotive parts manufacturer a $500,000 performance-based grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corp., according to a news release. Flex-N-Gate chose Sterling Heights over a site in Illinois.
"The auto industry today is not only hyper competitive, but global, which requires strong relationships in core locations like Michigan to continue growth," Bill Beistline, vice president of procurement for Flex-N-Gate, said in the release. "We look forward to expanding in Michigan and are delighted to include Sterling Heights in this next chapter."
Flex-N-Gate employs about 23,000 at 62 manufacturing sites and nine development and engineering facilities in the U.S. and abroad.
The supplier also broke ground this spring on a $95 million plant on Detroit's east side. The 600,000-square-foot manufacturing facility is being built on 30 acres of vacant land northeast of the I-94 and I-75 interchange. It is expected to open in the first quarter of next year.