Area Development
Linamar Forgings Carolina, an automotive manufacturer, will invest more than $6.8 million to expand its existing manufacturing facility in Wilson County, North Carolina.

Part of the Linamar Seissenschmidt Forgings Group, headquartered in Germany and owned by Linamar Corporation, LFC manufactures chassis and powertrain products for the automotive industry.

With this project, LFC will expand its production to include two additional automotive products, hollow transmission shafts and net shape differential gears. The project will add a new manufacturing process that requires less material and results in lighter automotive parts.

“Lightweighting of automotive components is a key imperative for the future, whether that vehicle be traditionally powered or powered by new electrified systems, where in fact lightweighting is even more critical,” said Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz. “This investment brings important capabilities to us to better serve our customers and meet or exceed their technology needs.”

As an incentive a performance-based grant of $62,000 over three years from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate LFC’s expansion in Wilson County. The One N.C. Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require a matching grant from local governments, and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“Linamar is adding state-of-the-art manufacturing processes that bring additional industry expertise to our state,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland. “We are proud to support this expansion and excited to see the opportunities it will bring to people in Wilson County.”

“North Carolina continues to grow our leadership in manufacturing with this expansion,” Governor Cooper said. “Linamar Forgings Carolina’s positive experience with our state’s talent, infrastructure and business climate led them to decide to expand in our state.”

In addition to North Carolina Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, the City of Wilson, Wilson County and the Wilson Economic Development Council.