Consultants Forum Advertise
Subscribe
Close

  • Free for qualified executives and consultants to industry

  • Receive quarterly issues of Area Development Magazine and special market report and directory issues

Subscribe Now
Renew

Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Japan-Based Morio USA Open Manufacturing Plant in Lincoln, Nebraska

08/05/2016
Morio USA Corporation, a manufacturer of electronic sign displays and moving message board panels, opened its new $3 million, 11,436 sq. ft., facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. The project unites Morio USA’s manufacturing and warehousing of products in one centralized location.

“We are so pleased to now make our home in one location,” said Morio USA President Mike Ohashi. “This new facility came at a critical time because we decided to triple our capital from this past March, adding $2 million in anticipation of expanding the business.”

“Congratulations to Morio on this expansion, and thank you for your continued investment in Nebraska,” said Governor Pete Ricketts. “The company’s decision to select Lincoln for this expansion is a testament to Nebraska’s business-friendly environment and mutual investments in a strong relationship between the state and the company over many years.”

Morio Denki, a subsidiary of Japan-based Morio Denki Co., Ltd., first established a presence in Lincoln in August 2013 and began operations in separate office and warehouse buildings in January 2014. The company outsourced production of its products to another Japanese company, Daitron, also located here. While most of the manufacturing in its new facility will initially be done by Daitron employees, over time, Morio Denki workers will take over full production, state economic development officials said.

Morio USA Corporation’s main customer is Kawasaki, which is Lincoln’s and the state’s first Japanese investment. Kawasaki, which first came to Nebraska in 1974, remains the state’s largest Japanese investment. Kawasaki will begin producing Metro North and Long Island Railroad M-9 rail cars in March 2017 with a base contract for 92 cars and a potential option to add 584 cars—a project valued at $1.8 billion with the need for approximately 200 additional production workers. The cars will operate between Manhattan and Long Island.

Exclusive Research