On a chilly day, Shelbyville’s newest Japanese company received a warm welcome from city, county and state officials.
Kimura Foundry America Inc. broke ground Tuesday morning at a 10-acre site on Boomer Way adjacent to the Northridge Industrial Park off of North Michigan Road.
Dozens of attendees watched as the company’s owner, Kazutoshi Kimura, and others gripping silver shovels ceremoniously turned the dirt twice, counting down in both English and Japanese.
Kimura thanked the crowd of more than 80 people and recalled he was born the same year Americans landed on the moon.
He compared that “first step” to this new venture.
“This is the first time for Kimura to offer a business outside Japan,” Kimura said.
The company plans to invest $8 million to build its new factory on the site that will use high-tech 3-D printing technology to manufacture castings and molds for the automobiles and pumps.
Kimura is expected to hire 20 employees for high-paying jobs by the year 2020.
Yoya Fukuda, president of Kimura Foundry America, promised the new facility will be state of the art.
“Come to Shelbyville next year and you will see the cleanest foundry, the smartest foundry in the world,” he said.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger noted the state is home to 280 Japanese companies, “now 281.”
“We couldn’t be more excited,” he said.
Shelbyville Mayor Tom DeBaun said Kimura is the result of the city’s outreach efforts to attract new business, including a recent trip to Japan.
Those interested in applying for a job at Kimura should visit the company’s website – www.kimurafoundry.com.
Source: Shelbynews.com
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