Grammer MSG95 seat for materials handling equipment

Seating systems specialist Grammer AG is constructing a 120,000 sqft. (10,640 sqm) manufacturing facility in Tupelo, Mississippi, with expectations to begin operations in late 2014.

In addition to production, the Lee County location will serve as Grammer's new headquarters in the US.

The expandable site in the Tupelo Lee Industrial Park South in the state's north-east region is near the operations of 20 industrial occupants.

Grammer envisions employing up to 350 staff during the four years of the Tupelo project's first phase.

In the materials handling equipment seating market, "we have a global presence with a focus in Europe, supplying all major forklift OEMs like Kion Group and Jungheinrich," says Alexander Pöschl, investor relations specialist. "Grammer is the market leader in Europe and has a strong position in Asia in the materials handling seats market."

Grammer has a presence in the North American car and commercial vehicle markets and currently generates more than 15% of its global sales from the region under the North American Free Trade Agreement of 1994.

In North America, the Grammer Automotive Puebla SA de CV unit has Mexican plants in Querétaro and Tetla. In the US, the Grammer Industries Inc automotive sales and engineering centre is located in Troy, Michigan. Other Grammer Industries operations are in Greenville, South Carolina and Hudson, Wisconsin.

"(For its overall market) we are planning to double our sales volume over the next five years," says Hartmut Müller, chief executive officer. "Therefore, this new (US) location is an important milestone in our global growth strategy and will support (the effort) to achieve our ambitious growth targets in North America."

Globally, operations of publicly traded Amberg-based Grammer in 18 countries employ about 10,000 staff.