The new facility, expected to commence production later in 2015, is strategically located north of Charlotte, North Carolina, in order to be in close proximity to heavy duty truck and bus OEM assembly plants, company officials said. Meeting the growing demand for natural gas equipped trucks, this world class facility allows for an additional 100,000 square feet of expansion, ensuring future scalability. The new facility will be the industry's first vertically integrated natural gas fuel system production facility, ensuring best in class products, quality cost and lead times.
Barry Engle, Agility's President/CEO, said, "Our new vertically integrated facility will enable improved logistics, guaranteed cylinder capacity to our customers, the highest standards of quality expected by OEMs, rapid product innovation and speed to market. Agility's investment in this facility demonstrates our deep commitment to the development and adoption of natural gas as a transportation fuel in the heavy duty vehicle industry."
Agility's new plant capabilities will include:
- CNG Cylinder Production: In-house manufacturing of lighter and higher-capacity cylinders.
- Fabrication: Equipped with latest production technology to fabricate structures and covers, this plant will deliver the best quality fuel systems in the industry.
- Paint Shop: All painting will be done on an in-house state of the art paint line to guarantee the highest quality and finish consistent with truck and bus OEM requirements.
- Fuel System Assembly: The plant is designed for maximum flexibility in assembling different fuel system configurations for a wide range of customers and applications.
- Installation: Multiple flow-through bays to maximize installation efficiency for a variety of vehicles and system configurations, with fueling capability onsite for both CNG and LNG.