INDIANAPOLIS (July 13, 2016) – Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb joined Hiroshi Urakami, the chairman of Japan-based Ryobi Limited, today at the Indiana Statehouse to discuss the company’s plans to expand its operations in Shelbyville, creating up to 150 new jobs by 2018.
“International manufacturers play a key role in Indiana’s economy. That’s especially true of Japanese manufacturers like Ryobi, which together employ more than 53,000 Hoosiers at facilities across our state,” said Lt. Governor Holcomb. “At our meeting today with Ryobi’s leadership team, we discussed Ryobi’s far-reaching impact on our state and how that impact will deepen as the company continues to choose Indiana for growth. We’re excited to see these 150 new jobs coming to Indiana, continuing Indiana’s ongoing momentum in job creation.”
The company will invest $97.5 million into its U.S. subsidiary Ryobi Die Casting USA, purchasing and equipping a 350,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its campus at 800 W. Mausoleum Rd. in Shelbyville. The facility, which will expand the company’s operations in Shelbyville to cover four buildings across 1 million square feet, will allow Ryobi to grow its structural and engine block die casting to increase production to process 500,000 castings annually by 2018. With construction expected to begin this fall, the company plans to begin operating in its new facility by late 2017.
“Ryobi Die Casting is a world-leading manufacturer of powertrain and structural/body-in-white castings, said Tom Johnson, president of Ryobi Die Casting USA. “This investment clearly shows our commitment to the ever-expanding light weight and fuel efficient markets. Our company considered options on where to locate this expanded production, but we ultimately chose our Indiana facility because of the high-quality work our team performs here, as well as the excellent business environment that continues to support our growth.”
Ryobi is the second Japan-based company just this week to announce that is growing and adding new jobs in Indiana. On Tuesday, Toyota Boshoku made news that it is expanding production in Gibson County to produce vehicle seats and doors for the Toyota Highlander and plans to create up to 160 new jobs by the end of the year. So far this year Japan-based Honda, NSSMC and NB Coatings have all announced that they are expanding in Indiana, growing the already more than 53,000 Hoosier jobs that exist at Japan-based companies throughout the state.