Navistar supplier adds facility in Springfield, looking to hire

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

A Belgium-based company that supplies parts to Navistar has set up shop in Springfield and is hiring.

The company, Facil, provides fasteners for Navistar’s production lines and is occupying space at 3100 Upper Valley Pike in Springfield.

The global company expanded its presence into the area this year to be closer to Navistar’s operation in Springfield, which builds medium-duty trucks and cutaway vans for General Motors on two assembly lines.

Facil’s regional North American headquarters in Twinsburg, which is between Akron and Cleveland. The company is in the process of hiring employees for distribution and warehouse positions in Springfield.

Facil is working with OhioMeansJobs Clark County to help find employees to fill those jobs, which include forklift operators and other warehouse positions.

The company will also be adding positions in the future based upon Navistar’s needs, said Virginia Martycz, the director of the Clark County Department of Job and Family Services, which oversees the county’s OhioMeansJobs.

Martycz said that she does not have an exact number of how many positions Facil is looking to fill in the area but said it is in the range of 10 to 20.

Representatives of Facil North America did not respond to a request for comment as of Thursday afternoon.

Martycz said the growth of Facil’s presence in Springfield will be largely dependent on the demands of Navistar.

Navistar is in the process of increasing production on its main assembly line in Springfield and that change will occur this summer.

Production on Navistar’s main line in Springfield is slated to go from 70 units per day to 115 units per day in July. Navistar builds medium-duty trucks on that line and will be calling back employees that were on indefinite layoff as well as hiring additional employees.

The initial announcement regarding the increase in production was made in April by local union leaders representing workers at Navistar’s Springfield plant. At that time, there were still 106 UAW Local 402 members on indefinite layoff.

“Navistar is critically important to our area. That includes the economic impact of the products it makes as well as the workforce it brings,” said Horton Hobbs, vice president of economic development for the Greater Springfield Partnership.

Hobbs said that it is important for some suppliers to set up locations that are in close proximity to whatever manufacturer they are doing business with, explaining Facil’s recent move to the area.

Hobbs noted that there are a number of operationsin the area that support Navistar. He added that many of those companies have also diversified their customer base as well and are not just dependent on Navistar’s business.

Those interested in working for Facil in Springfield can contact OhioMeansJobs Clark County at 937-327-1961.

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