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Mitsubishi’s Success Continues at Dual Purpose Indiana Plant

Johnson County REMC and Hoosier Energy have been important contributors to the success of the Franklin Mitsubishi facility for more than a decade.

2017 Auto/Aero Site Guide
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures components for automotive passenger car and light truck applications. The company is based in Franklin, Indiana.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. designs, develops, and manufactures components for automotive passenger car and light truck applications. The company is based in Franklin, Indiana.
Editor's Note: This article was supplied by Hoosier Energy, which approved this posting. Johnson County REMC and Hoosier Energy add to Indiana’s robust infrastructure.

Indiana’s rich history in automotive excellence continues to set the pace for innovation in the industry. The state’s reputation for advanced auto manufacturing is well earned as Indiana now ranks second in the industry in the United States.

The growth of the automotive industry serves as a roadmap for continued success. An abundance of interstate, highway, and rail access as well as Indiana’s probusiness climate and favorable tax rates are attracting both domestic and international investment. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation reports that more than 500 Tier 1, 2, and 3 auto suppliers employ 100,000 Hoosiers.

Now, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) group is continuing that success story for the state. The company’s location in Franklin, Indiana, is home to two of the group’s companies in a shared facility that employs 300 people.

Johnson County REMC and Hoosier Energy, a generation and transmission cooperative with 18 electric distribution cooperatives across central and southern Indiana, adds to Indiana’s robust infrastructure and has been an important part of the Franklin Mitsubishi facility for more than a decade.

“Power supply is incredibly important for our operation,” said Kent Smith, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Climate Control, Inc. (MCCA) senior manager for and Environmental and Facility Maintenance. “We have a great partner in Johnson County REMC and Hoosier Energy. In fact, this site was one of the first in the area where Hoosier built a dedicated substation to help power our plant.”

MCCA began operation in 1996 and serves as the North American manufacturer of compressors for car air-conditioning systems. The original 193,000-square-foot facility was expanded to 245,000 square feet to accommodate the addition of production lines for Mitsubishi Turbocharger and Engine America, Inc. (MTEA) in 2015. MTEA produced its one-millionth turbocharger in June 2017, which allow automakers to give a 1.6-liter engine the same horsepower as a 2-liter engine.

Smith added that the facility is a model for how two companies can work together: “Under the shared factory arrangement MCCA and MTEA streamline resources for maintenance, materials, quality controls, and IT, allowing for increased operating efficiency. We are able to reduce redundancy and make the most out of our space and workforce.”

The 47-acre site also houses a 17,000-square-foot R&D facility for environmental vehicle testing. The facility is one of the only sites of its kind in the Midwest that can subject vehicles to temperatures from -25 to 110 degrees as well as wind, rain, and humidity.

“Our central location, dedicated workforce, committed community, and a site with room for expansion are the main reasons that MCCA and MTEA have found a great home in Franklin,” Smith said.

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