HIGHLAND PARK, MI — Magna International will expand its seat manufacturing facility here that will generate $35.4 million in private investment and create 480 jobs.

Magna has been awarded new full-seat assembly contracts, requiring an expansion of its Highland Park site by approximately 5,000 square feet. The project includes remodeling the current space, adding new automated storage and retrieval shipping systems, and redesigning all assembly lines throughout the facility.

“We’ve put a lot of dedication into managing through the COVID pandemic, and it’s a good feeling to have news about growth for Magna and jobs for people in Highland Park, Detroit and other nearby communities,” says Magna Seating President John Wyskiel. “We take great pride in being part of the auto industry, in making great seats for our customers, and in helping do our part for a safe and productive economic recovery.”

The project is expected to generate a total private investment of $35.4 million and create 480 jobs in a range of positions including management, IT, and manufacturing; as a result the company received a $2.1 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund. The company also received approval of a five-year, 100-percent State Essential Services Assessment exemption valued at $326,678. This support was critical in Michigan being chosen for the expansion over a competing site in another state. In addition, the city of Highland Park has offered to provide staff time and resources in support of the project.

“This is great news for Michigan workers, their families, and our economy as a whole as we lay a path for economic recovery and growth here in our state,” says Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today’s announcement by Magna further underscores that Michigan, the state that put the world on wheels, is the undisputed location for auto manufacturers to expand and grow. It’s time to get Michiganders back to work and I’m glad to see one of the state's longtime employers investing once again in our state.”

The announcement builds on past investments by Magna in the state. Highlights include a previous expansion at the Highland Park seating plant in 2012 that created 244 new jobs and was supported by the Michigan Strategic Fund, and an expansion in 2018 at its mirrors facility in Newaygo with an investment of $45 million and creation 48 jobs, resulting in a $448,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.