SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP The Ann Arbor area continued to enhance its reputation as an automotive R&D center for Asian transplants on Friday when the Hyundai America Technical Center Inc. broke ground on its new headquarters.
Some 200 guests including Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Rep. John Dingle attended the sunny ceremonies to mark construction of the 190,000 square feet facility, which will replace a much smaller 33,000 square foot lab in Pittsfield Township also outside Ann Arbor.
The new lab is meant to work closely with a new Hyundai manufacturing plant slated to open in Alabama next year. The Michigan R&D center is scheduled to open in June 2005. Some 85 new jobs will be created, not counting the 45 existing jobs from workers transferring from the other Hyundai lab. By 2010, Hyundai predicts some 400 engineers and high-tech workers will be employed at the facility.
Hyundai, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Suburu all have an R&D presence in the Ann Arbor area, said Hyundai spokesman Curt McAlister. These auto manufacturers are attracted to the talent that comes out of the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, plus the strong supplier base in the area. Ann Arbor is becoming a major R&D center for the auto industry.
Granholm agreed: We see this company developing into a business catalyst for the area as well as serving as an example of our states high-tech expertise, she said. Their decision to locate here is yet another case study of how dominant Michigan is in automotive R&D and we are very excited to have the Hyundai Kia America Technical Center in our state.
The Hyundai America Technical Center was established in 1986 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Company of Korea. HATCI conducts emissions testing, engineering, research, development and design for Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
This is a very important facility for both Hyundai and Kia, said S.K. Kim, President of Research and Development for Hyundai Motor Company. HMC has high aspirations for the U.S. market and this facility will play a vital role in supporting the development, design and manufacture of vehicles for this country.
