6/20/14 - A major industrial employer in the city of Brighton will soon become even larger. Eberspaecher â the German-owned, global automotive supplier that makes exhaust systems and catalytic converters at the Brighton facility for large trucks and farm equipment â was given final approval Thursday night for a conditional site plan that will allow a major expansion in the city. Council approval was the last hurdle before construction could proceed. While the Brighton plant now has 260 hourly employees and 40 salaried employees, the expansion will add 100 hourly jobs and up to 50 new salaried positions. Plant Manager Adrian Giaccaglia tells WHMI that among other things, the expansion will allow the company to âvertically integrateâ - or manufacture in-house - the components now manufactured at other facilities, resulting in greater efficiency and lowered transportation costs. Giaccaglia says Brighton officials have been extremely cooperative in helping ENA negotiate the hurdles required for the expansion to take place. The $60 million project â with the help of a $4.5 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation - will result in 140,000 additional square feet of manufacturing space and 70,000 square feet of warehousing space on top of the existing 110,000 square feet of space, making the Brighton plant â at over 300,000 square feet - the largest ENA facility in North America. Council Thursday also approved a Planned Unit Development amendment for the Summit Pointe Commercial Center and Paramount Industrial Park to allow for the expansion. Construction will begin in July and the project should be completed by the end of 2015. (TT)
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