Columbia will soon be home to an expanded automotive plant. Governor Jay Nixon announced last night that Dana Light Axle Products will be adding a $39 million expansion to its Columbia manufacturing plant, which produces parts for companies like Ford, GM and Nissan.
A staff of 90 currently operates the plant on LeMone Industrial Boulevard, which has been producing parts since 1988. Nixon said that the company’s growth will create 135 additional jobs, and that he considers this a win for the automotive industry in Missouri.
“I appreciate Dana Light Axle Products’ significant expansion in Columbia, and its contribution to Missouri’s revitalized auto industry,” Nixon said in a press release. “The historic investments made by Ford and GM in Missouri continue to pave the way for auto suppliers to grow and succeed, creating jobs for hard working Missourians throughout the state.”
Over 60 other automotive plant and part suppliers have expanded in Missouri in recent years. A recent report from the Brookings Institution ranked Missouri sixth in the nation for job growth in advanced manufacturing.