(JTEKT Column Systems photo)
A long-time Hopkinsville Industry will have a new name as it continues to be part of Christian County’s automotive manufacturing footprint.
Douglas Autotech Corporation will be known as JTEKT Column Systems North America. A ribbon cutting with the Christian County Chamber of Commerce will be held on April 26th at 3:30 pm.
The company dates back to 1902 as a manufacturer and at one time produced parts for Henry Ford’s Model T car. They employ over 330 people at locations in Kentucky and Michigan with nearly 300 at the Hopkinsville plant. They produce directional controls for Ford, General Motors, and Toyota.
JTEKT Column Systems North America will continue as the preferred steering column supplier and looks to build a new foundation for new business development beyond steering.
The company had a sales volume of $92.1 million in 2022 with a budgeted sales volume of $104.5 million in 2023.
The Hopkinsville Douglas Autotech location opened in 1995 and has seen steady growth through the years.
In 2011, Douglas Autotech made a $17 million investment in the Hopkinsville location that created 65 new jobs.
Through the Kentucky Business Investment program, Douglas Autotech was approved for up to $2 million in tax incentives.
In 2015, they announced a 30-percent increase in operation that was expected to bring 115 new jobs to Christian County over a three-year period to its 116,000-square-foot plant on Commerce Court.
JTEKT Column Systems North America is expected to continue its partnership with HOPFAME, the Hopkinsville chapter of the Kentucky Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education (KYFAME), which works with Hopkinsville Community College to implement apprentice-style training to create a pipeline of highly-skilled workers.
