TROY, MI — KIRCO MANIX, a Michigan-based construction company, announces its partnership with ZF North America Inc. and WP Carey on a $62 million expansion project. With this project, ZF, an automotive industry company, aims to enhance its international research and development capabilities for airbag, seatbelt, and steering wheel systems.
The project, located in Washington Township, Macomb County, involves the construction of an 82,000-square-foot building on ZF's existing 30-acre site. This facility will house an 8 meganewton Intron crash test sled, one of the few in operation worldwide. In addition, KIRCO MANIX will renovate ZF's existing 136,000-square-foot and 120,000-square-foot buildings, ensuring a comprehensive and modern workspace for ZF's operations.
The project is scheduled to be completed in early 2025. This expansion will enable ZF’s passive safety systems division, ZF LIFETEC, to consolidate its prototype, engineering, testing services, and support functions. As a unit of the Germany-based ZF Group, one of the largest automotive suppliers globally, ZF LIFETEC is at the forefront of automotive safety innovation.
ZF plans to transfer 100 employees from its Romeo plant to the Washington Township campus. This relocation will not only retain 400 jobs, but also create approximately 25 new job opportunities, further boosting the local economy.
Doug Manix, President of KIRCO MANIX, spoke about their expertise and alignment as the right partner for this project. "Partnering with ZF North America Inc. on this expansion project is a perfect fit for us," he said. "We've built our reputation on delivering complex corporate facilities, handling everything from multifaceted renovations to expansive new builds. Constructing ZF's state-of-the-art safety technology facility in Macomb County aligns perfectly with our passion for precision and quality in complex construction. We're excited to bring our experience to the table and ensure this project sets new benchmarks in the industry."
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The selection of Washington Township for this expansion project was the result of a rigorous internal evaluation process, which considered other potential sites such as Monterey, Mexico, and Mason, Arizona. By choosing Washington Township, ZF has prevented the transfer and loss of over 600 jobs from Michigan.
