BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – Auto supplier Engineered Plastic Components Inc. said today that it plans to invest $7.3 million to open a manufacturing facility in Leeds with 110 jobs by the operation’s third year.
The Grinnell, Iowa-based company has purchased a 75,000-square-foot office/warehouse facility in the Birmingham suburb for its first Alabama location, which also will serve as the hub of its Southeastern operations.
At the Leeds facility, Engineered Plastic Components will produce injection molding interior automotive components and assemblies. It also will provide complex assemblies, on-site project engineering and inspection capability. Production is expected to begin in July 2014.
“The decision by Engineered Plastic Components to open an Alabama facility shows that the state continues to be an attractive destination for growing companies in the automotive industry,” Alabama Secretary of Commerce Greg Canfield said. “The bottom line is that Alabama offers a skilled workforce, a top-notch job training program in AIDT and a business-friendly environment. The state is also an ideal spot for companies to locate a hub for regional operations as auto industry expansion accelerates in the Southeast.”
Engineered Plastic Components operates 14 facilities in nine U.S. states and Mexico. The company, founded by Reza Kargarzadeh in 1994, serves as a one-stop shop for plastic injection molded products.
“With our experience and expertise in injection and blow molding technologies with our appliance, heavy truck and automotive customer partners, Engineered Plastic Components has built our reputation as a world-class, high-quality, low-cost leader for American-based injection and blow molding,” Kargarzadeh said. “We expect to continue this tradition in Alabama as a responsible social and industrial leader in the Leeds community with a staff that will exceed 100 employees at full production.”
Kargarzadeh’s company is one of many auto suppliers in recent months to announce a new manufacturing facility or an expansion project in Alabama, which set a record for vehicle production in 2013. These companies include Bolta Werke in Tuscaloosa, Denso in Montgomery, REHAU in Cullman and Taesung in Macon County.
Jeff Traywick, senior project manager at the Birmingham Business Alliance (BBA), said the location in Jefferson County met all of Engineered Plastic Components’ needs as the supplier moved to expand into the Southeast.
“The facility size, with its capacity for future expansions, is perfect,” Traywick said. “Access to a trained, skilled workforce is a must and combine that with tremendous support from the local community – and it makes it a win-win for both the company and the community.”
Engineered Plastic Components worked with the Alabama Department of Commerce, the BBA, Alabama Power Co. and the City of Leeds on the expansion project.
Leeds Mayor David Miller said the move by Engineered Plastic Components to establish a manufacturing facility in his city “certainly fits our vision for economic growth.” He added: “This is a company with a long history of providing quality products and good-paying jobs, and we welcome Engineered Plastic Components to our area.”
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