Impact Forge Group LLC has been awarded a 10-year tax abatement for a $7.5-million capital investment program for its plant in Columbus, IN. The company explained to city officials that it plans to install new equipment that will lead to job creation there, estimated as 30 new jobs by the end of 2015.
The details of the new equipment and the schedule for the expansion have not been announced.
Impact Forge is one holding of HHI Forging Inc., which includes the FormTech and Jernberg operations, as well as the Cloyes powder metal forming and machining, and KBI heat-treating and machining operations.
At Columbus, Impact has hot forging and hammer forging processes, as well as cross-wedge rolling capability. An affiliate, Net Forge, also in Columbus, has hot forging and upset forging capability. (Impact Forge Group also includes Impact Precision Forge at Coldwater, MI, and Omni Forge at Remington, IN.)
The plant’s current list of forgings includes drivetrain yokes, diesel engine components, air-compressor crankshafts, steering/transmission parts, ring gears, and wheel-end hubs
According to information presented in its tax-abatement request, Impact Forge is preparing to produce forgings for 8- and 9-speed transmissions for a Tier 1 automotive supplier. It also will take on work producing hubs for pick-up truck wheels, and a locking mechanism for Class 8 truck linkages.
Local reports indicate Impact Forge will add a third shift to operate five days per week – up from its current two-shift/four-day schedule.
