Kawasaki starts new assembly line, creates new jobs

In a continuing effort to promote economic growth in the Northwest Missouri region, the Kawasaki Maryville plant recently announced the start of a new assembly line.

The $520,000 investment is expected to raise production capacity by close to 400 engines per day, once fully staffed. The addition of Kawasaki’s new assembly line has the potential to bring up to 55 new jobs to the area.

The demand for Kawasaki’s general purpose engines has been on an incline, and their production facility in Maryville has had to increase staffing to meet this demand. The plant currently employs more than 800 people, three production departments, engineering, maintenance, quality assurance/quality control, services, information systems and administrative departments. The plant also celebrated its 10 millionth engine produced in October of last year.

The Maryville plant began operating in 1989 and was established as a Foreign Trade Zone that same year. They are ISO 90001/14001 certified and have been involved in injection molding, die casting, machining, assembly, manufacturing of jet ski parts, powder/ e coat painting, manufacturing of robot parts and research and development. However, due to the demand of Kawasaki engines, resources have been allocated to engine production, and the plant is currently the top producer of general purpose engines for the Kawasaki Corporation.