Company has new name, growth prospects

A mainstay of Tall Timbers Industrial Park has a new name and prospects for further growth. The former Nissin Brake Ohio, on Industrial Drive, is now Hitachi Astemo. Hitachi Astemo is part of a joint venture formed in January by Hitachi Automotive Group and Honda. Honda brought three of its parts suppliers, including Nissin, into the joint venture. Hitachi Global owns two-thirds of the joint venture and Honda owns the other one-third, said Ken Lee, senior vice president of operations for Hitachi Astemo. Hitachi Astemo employs 550 in Findlay. The companies' merging is rife with implications for the future of the auto industry, growth prospects for Hitachi Astemo and job opportunities in Findlay, Lee said. All auto makers and suppliers are evolving toward automated driving and advanced driver systems which benefit a motorist in a variety of ways, including providing feedback, adaptive cruise control, and braking systems which adjust on icy roads and other challenging conditions, he said. "To do that you have to have smart chassis systems. All of the components, whether that's suspension, brakes, engine control, all of those elements," Lee said. "That's the objective: Get to the automated driving, the advanced systems. They've got to have brakes. They've got to have smart brakes." "That's really where we come in. We do a lot of brake products … chassis or suspension-type products, with the aluminum casting and machining that we do here," Lee said. "So it's really kind of a foundational element for the larger group (company) that's been formed." It all adds up to the potential for growth and additional jobs in Findlay. Hitachi Astemo's two plants at Tall Timbers are large enough to sustain a larger work force and production level, he said. In addition, the other two suppliers brought into the joint venture — Keihin Corp. and Showa Corp. — have a lot of product that could be produced at Hitachi Astemo's plants in Findlay. "So I think there is tremendous potential for the company to grow, to take on some other manufacturing projects here," Lee said. "I think there's a lot of potential for the company to grow as a result." Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development Director Tim Mayle said the merger like the one Hitachi Astemo, formerly Nissin, has undergone is a trend in the automotive industry. Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development is seeking to capitalize on the trend as it pursues multiple "huge capital projects," he said. It also will do all it can to support Hitachi Astemo, Mayle said. One thing Hitachi Astemo needs, like many other companies, is more employees. "We want to get people back to work after all of the COVID slowdowns and shortages," Lee said. More specifically, the company is seeking people with supervisory experience or an interest in supervising, people who can be team leaders and line leaders, he said. Hitachi Astemo is always seeking those who have technical skills or are willing to develop them. General laborers and assemblers also are needed. Wilin: 419-427-8413