Topre America is building a $10 million facility in Ohio to shift an assembly line from the Cullman plant, but no job losses are planned locally, according to news reports.

The Dayton Business Journal reported the Japanese auto parts supplier will shift operations to a new 20,000-square-foot facility at the Champion City Business Park in Springfield, creating 20 new jobs there in the process.

Topre America’s Cullman plant isn’t planning to cut any jobs here, Natalie Caudel, the facility’s human resources manager, told The Birmingham Business Journal. Around 610 are employed at the plant on County Road 222. 

“We are transitioning the MDX to Ohio to match Honda’s operation there,” Caudel said Monday.

Dale Greer, assistant director of the Cullman Economic Development Agency, said: “Honda just wanted to make this move and it doesn’t affect Cullman jobs. The more Topre grows in North America, the more it will continue to benefit Cullman.” 

According to the report, Topre considered New York, Kentucky and other Ohio sites for the project.

“This investment is an effort on the part of Topre America to be located closer to Honda America to ensure we are adding as much value to our relationship with them as possible,” said Brad Pepper, vice president of Topre America.

“The Springfield community is the perfect strategic location for us to locate and expand our operations.”

Since opening in Cullman more than a decade ago, Topre has grown at a phenomenal rate — expanding its local industrial footprint from 440,000 square-feet to 620,000 while its overall American operations ballooned from a payroll of 89 to now close to 1,000 as its value has soared from millions of dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars.

Topre manufactures components for Honda, Nissan and Toyota and uses the latest hot stamp press machine, laser cutting machines, plasma welding machines, and robotic welding. The cutting-edge methods makes vehicles lighter and simultaneously stronger while also increasing safety and gas mileage, all at a reduced cost.

The company most recently donated $100,000 to the City of Cullman to fund a third fire station on the north side of town. 

Tiffeny Owens can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 135.