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(November
18, 2008)
Franklin, Kentucky (from the Franklin Favorite).
New Mather Metals, which has undergone several expansions over the
past six years and upped employment to 300, received the coveted
Industry of the Year Award at the annual F-S Industrial Authority
Appreciation Luncheon Tuesday at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Kentucky.
The award was presented to Mr. Ryuji Yashiro, President and COO of New
Mather Metals (shown speaking below) by George Burgess (shown below
left), the commissioner of Existing Industry for the Kentucky
Economic Development Cabinet.
New Mather Metals, which manufactures stabilizer bars for the
automotive industry, opened in Franklin in August 2002 in the Sanders
East Industrial Park near the I-65 interchange. About 50 employees
were hired at start-up in the new 78,000-square-foot facility.
Three years later, the plant expanded to create more capacity for
tubular stabilizer bar production and to add solid stabilizer bar
manufacturing. In 2007, another solid stabilizer bar line was
installed. Over $60 million have been invested in the local
operation.
Today, New Mather employees over 300 and has twice been named as one
of the Best Places to Work in Kentucky.
New Mather Metals was originally founded in 1911 under the name Mather
Spring Co. of Toledo, Ohio. It was purchased by NHK Spring of
Yokohama, Japan in 1987 and renamed. Its relationship as a supplier
to the "Big Three" Japanese automakers resulted in a plant being built
in Franklin. Toyota, Honda and Nissan as was General Motors are among
its customers. |
