Mubea Opens First Tailored Rolled Blank Facility in North America

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear joined Mubea shareholders, executives, employees and Northern Kentucky officials to cut the ribbon on its new, state-of-the-art tailored rolled blank advanced manufacturing facility in Boone County.

“Our focus is on providing the highest quality, lightest weight, best performing components to our customers – automotive manufacturers,” said Doug Cain, CEO of Mubea North America. “The new Mubea tailored rolled blank facility is the only one of its kind in North America. The innovative technology we’ve brought to Northern Kentucky is a key factor in our continuing successful growth.”

The new facility, in unincorporated Boone County, is the only manufacturing facility outside of Germany producing tailored rolled blanks. Mubea is investing $60 million for the equipment and the tailored roll blank facility, which is 75,000 sq. ft., and will create approximately 150 new jobs. “Our Union, Florence Steel Workers Local #1, the entire NA organization, our suppliers & service providers, customers, various government agencies, and the regional business community have all played a significant role in the successful growth we have experienced” Cain commented.

“Mubea has been producing highly technical parts for the automotive sector for more than 30 years, providing hundreds of jobs and capital investment, in Northern Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “We’re thrilled that Mubea chose to build this new manufacturing facility in Boone County and gladly welcome the addition of approximately 150 jobs.”

Tailored rolled blanks are created through a process, developed by Mubea in Germany 9 years ago, where one continuous roll of steel is able to be flattened into varying thicknesses. The tailored rolled blanks can then be formed into a wide variety of products including body parts such as B-pillars located between the front and rear doors. Along with being up to 25 percent lighter than conventional parts, less welding & assembly can occur at the assembly plant by creating the piece with one part.

“Mubea has developed new methods to make lighter weight, higher performing parts for the auto industry to assist them in reducing a vehicle’s weight in the effort to meet regulations and increase the fuel efficiency and miles per gallon in new vehicle models. Today, with more than 9k associates on 4 continents in 17 countries approaching $2.0b in 2013 sales, Mubea is one of the world’s largest and most technically advanced suppliers of many critical components for the automotive & industrial sectors.” added Cain.

Cain also stated “Key to Mubea’s successful growth has been a clear, powerful strategy – provide innovative, light weight, best performing, & highest quality parts in a cost efficient manner, from various locations around the world – where our customers want us to be.”

Mubea is a supplier to all the major OEMs around the world and in North America with products including suspension coil springs, stabilizer bars, transmission springs, engine valve springs, constant tension hose clamps, conventional disc springs, and tailor rolled blanks.

“Mubea’s success is key to Northern Kentucky’s success. I congratulate Doug Cain and his team in guiding Mubea through the economic downturn and into a high-growth mode,” said Steve Pendery, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED Executive Board member and Campbell County Judge-Executive. “Mubea is creating skilled, well paying jobs in a technically advanced manufacturing facility, exactly the type of jobs and expansion that Northern Kentucky Tri-ED is working to foster in our region.”

Mubea’s North America operations in Northern Kentucky occupy 800,000 square feet in eight buildings, with one in Elsmere and the remaining in unincorporated Boone County. Mubea established operations in Northern Kentucky 31 years ago because of the central location and transportation infrastructure providing easy access to automotive customers and suppliers.

About Mubea
Mubea, a privately held German company and tier one supplier with facilities on four continents in 17 countries, provides lighter weight, high performance suspension coil springs, stabilizer bars, transmission springs, engine valve springs, constant tension hose clamps, conventional disc springs, tailor rolled blanks, and other products to the major automotive OEMs around the world. For more information on Mubea, visit http://mubea.com.