Adrian Steel chooses Kansas City for advanced auto manufacturing facility

Company will invest $4.7M in its new operations, which will provide interiors for new Ford TRANSIT van

KANSAS CITY, MO--April 9, 2013: The Kansas City Area Development Council announced today that Adrian Steel, a Michigan-based manufacturer of commercial van and truck equipment, is expanding to Kansas City to supply parts for the Ford Motor Company.  Adrian Steel will lease 11 acres for a new 32,000-sq.-ft. facility and eight-acre logistics center at the Hunt Midwest Business Center, creating 39 new jobs.  The company will invest $4.7 million in its new facility, and expects to be operational by September of 2013.

"The Kansas City region proved to be an ideal location for our newest Adrian Steel operation," said Bob Browns, general manager, Adrian Steel. "We are very proud of our ongoing relationship with Ford Motor Company and look forward to contributing to the future of the Ford TRANSIT."

As an authorized Ford QVM (Qualified Vehicle Modifier), Adrian will install interiors -- including trade packages, shelving, partitions and other cargo management solutions -- for the new Ford TRANSIT commercial van scheduled to be built at Ford's Kansas City Assembly Plant as part of a $1.1 billion investment.

"The continued investment from auto manufacturing giants including Ford and GM makes the KC region a very attractive location for suppliers to the auto industry," said Bob Marcusse, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).  KCADC is the umbrella economic development organization in the Kansas City area, and provides free relocation services to companies evaluating the KC region.

The Hunt Midwest Business Center is a 2,500-acre industrial and commercial development adjacent to Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, the world's largest underground business complex, at I-435 and NE Parvin Road in Kansas City, Mo.  Ford has recently leased a 25-acre paved staging location in the Hunt Midwest Business Center as part of its North American Vehicle Logistics Outbound Shipping (NAVLOS) center.

The KCADC worked with a number of partners to bring Adrian Steel to the Kansas City region, including the State of Missouri; Missouri Partnership; City of Kansas City, Missouri; Economic Development Council of Kansas City, Missouri; Hunt Midwest Real Estate Development; KCPL; CBRE; Missouri Gas Energy and KC SmartPort.