In 2011, the T.I. Automotive Hillsdale plant added business and, more importantly, jobs.
During the second half of 2011, T.I. added 29 jobs, increasing its business in Hillsdale by 55 percent. In addition to the new jobs, the plant expanded its floor space, moved in equipment from a Mexico plant, and renovated its parking lot.
“We got to fill up our plant,” said Paula Miller, plant manager. “Hillsdale is a great place to do business. The people have a great work ethic.”
T.I. Automotive is a global automobile parts manufacturer based in Auburn Hills, Mich. The company owns several plants in the region and the Hillsdale plant, located at 200 Arch St., produces push rods and brake lines for the Detroit Three.
The automobile industry was one of the hardest hit during the 2008 recession and Miller said a lot of T.I.’s manufacturing was moved to Mexico during that time.
Miller said the expansion of the Hillsdale plant is a result of what she called an “adjustment of capacity in all North America.” That includes the movement of some of that lost manufacturing back from Mexico, as well the closing of other T.I. plants in the region.
Because of T.I.’s growth, the Hillsdale City Council approved a 12-year partial tax exemption for the plant on Feb. 6. The exempted taxes amount to about $6,000 over the 12-year period.
“The improvements they’ve made to the plant are stunning,” said councilwoman Mary Wolfram, who is also in the office of economic development for the city. “We’re thrilled to have this line of work come back from Mexico.”
Wolfram and Miller both attributed at least some of the Hillsdale plant’s additions to the hard work ethic of Hillsdale residents.
Chris Kaltenback, a Concord resident, is a quality engineer at the Hillsdale plant and one of the hires from last year. He was three months between jobs and described the current job market as “pretty tough, pretty competitive.” He considered himself “extremely fortunate” to have found work so quickly.
“Hillsdale County has been hit pretty bad for quite a few years, so anything that comes here is quite welcome,” he said.
While numbers are not as high as pre-2008, Miller said the auto industry is recovering.
“Hopefully they’ll continue [to recover], but right now they’re strong,” she said. “Last year was a good year, and we’re still good in January this year.”
Kaltenback agreed with Miller, saying the auto industry is recovering but still hasn’t returned to pre-recession levels.
“So many people went out of business, so many small businesses folded, that inevitably they won’t all be able to come back,” he said.
Kaltenback said before the recession, unemployed quality engineers were able pick and choose where they wanted to work. Now?
“It’s not like that at all,” he said.
