Automotive seat maker Adient will invest $8 million to open a factory in Normal to assemble components for electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian.
Adient will create 75 full-time jobs at its new facility near Rivian’s manufacturing plant. The state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is supporting the investment through its Reimagining Energy and Vehicles program, which promotes clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
“With more [electric vehicle] suppliers calling Illinois home due to our unmatched workforce, infrastructure and competitive incentives, we are growing our reputation as a global leader in the electric vehicle sector,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release on Monday. “Adient’s new facility in Normal is a critical investment in our state’s growing EV ecosystem and supply chain.”
At its new factory, Adient will produce complete front and rear seat assemblies for Rivian. It will repurpose an existing 85,000-square-foot warehouse south of College Avenue.
In May, Rivian announced an additional $120 million investment to build a new 1.2 million-square-foot supplier park across Highway 150 that will create nearly 100 more jobs. That investment was supported by a $16 million incentive package from Illinois, which includes a REV tax incentive valued at $5 million over 20 years.
Last year, Rivian announced a $1.5 billion investment to build its R2 SUV model at its Normal factory. The California-based automaker expects to create more than 550 full-time jobs within the next five years.
Rivian’s investment was supported by a 30-year incentive package from Illinois valued at $827 million. Most of that funding is from REV tax credits that focus on workforce development. Through REV, the automaker is eligible to receive tax benefits totaling nearly $634 million over the next three decades. Rivian must retain at least 6,000 jobs.
“Having suppliers like Adient located near our plant in Normal will be a key enabler when we increase production next year to build R2,” Carlo Materazzo, Rivian’s vice president of manufacturing operations, said in a news release. “Integrating suppliers on site reduces costs and improves manufacturing efficiency.”
Adient designs, develops and manufactures components and seating systems for major automakers. The company is headquartered in Michigan and has more than 70,000 global employees and 200 manufacturing and assembly plants in 29 countries.
Normal Mayor Chris Koos said, “This addition of a manufacturing partner in our community is good for more than Normal, Bloomington or McLean County. All of central Illinois will benefit from the creation of jobs, a stronger economy and a foundation for future growth.”