Hitachi's JR Automation to open new global HQ in Michigan

Hitachi Group company JR Automation, a business focused on industrial automation, last week announced plans to establish a new $72.8 million global headquarters in Zeeland, Michigan. The announcement was made following a “strategic meeting”, according to the announcement, in Tokyo involving Hitachi executives, JR Automation leadership, and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, highlighting  the significance of the investment in the region’s advanced manufacturing sector. 

The new 286,000-square-foot facility aims to consolidate approximately 350 employees from various West Michigan locations into a single campus. It will include 76,000 square feet of office space and 210,000 square feet dedicated to assembly areas for customer automation. The headquarters is designed to foster collaboration with global customers and showcase the company’s latest automation technologies. Construction is set to begin on September 17, 2025, with completion expected in early 2027.

In a statement, JR Automation highlighted the role of its founder, Ken Assink, in establishing West Michigan as a hub for advanced automation. This investment reflects our long-term commitment to shaping the future of Integrated Industry Automation1 and Lumada2 through sustainable innovation” said Hitachi’s president and CEO of Hitachi America, Charlie Takeuchi. “ By strengthening JR Automation’s capabilities in Michigan, we are creating a One Hitachi hub for breakthrough technologies”, he added.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer noted that JR Automation’s expansion will not only retain and create high-quality jobs but also strengthen Michigan’s reputation as a center for advanced manufacturing and cutting-edge technology.

The company said that the facility has been designed with employee experience and sustainability in mind, highlighting amenities such as an on-site fitness center, workspaces created with sustainability in mind, and connections to nature through bikeable and walkable paths integrated into native prairie landscaping across its 45 acres. The campus also aims to advance the business’ environmental goals, targeting carbon neutrality and zero landfill waste by 2030 through renewable energy and integrating native biodiversity into its creation.

JR Automation was purchased by Hitachi for approximately $1.42 billion in 2019. The acquisition sought to merge JR Automation’s robotic systems integration expertise with Hitachi’s digital and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, enhancing capabilities for intelligent manufacturing and distribution. Since then, the business has expanded, acquiring MA micro automation in Europe and growing its presence in Singapore, while continuing to serve diverse sectors such as aerospace, automotive, consumer goods, energy, life sciences, and warehousing.

JR Automation has made several recent investments in Michigan, including a $9.9 million expansion in Holland announced in 2022, which created 140 high-wage jobs and significantly upgraded their manufacturing capabilities. That expansion was supported by a $2.25 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.