Automotive seating manufacturer Adient, a subsidiary of Johnson Controls, recently announced plans to invest $10.8 million in expanding production at the company’s manufacturing facility in Lexington, Tennessee. The investment will also create approximately 200 jobs at the plant.
The move reinforces the continuing prominence of automotive manufacturing in Tennessee and throughout the Southeastern United States. The state employs more than 134,000 automotive workers. Michigan-based Adient operates 238 manufacturing plants in 34 countries, and according to their website, carries nearly double the market share of their closest competitor.
The expansion plan will include the installation of new assembly equipment and expanded production lines for seats, frames, foam, materials, and trim. Future growth for the company is projected to come from lighter seats that would complement the needs of hybrid vehicles and autonomous driving controls. The expansion announcement follows the company’s plans to close a plant in nearby Milan, Tennessee last September, which eliminated 148 jobs.