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Auto Parts Maker to Bring Jobs to Battle Creek

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A company that makes parts for the roofs of cars says it plans to bring jobs and investments to Battle Creek.

WKW Roof Rail Systems LLC is owned by the German company WKW Automotive. It already runs a sales office in the Detroit metro area and a manufacturing plant in Portage. WKW plans to buy the former Toyota Group plant in Battle Creek and use it to produce aluminum roof rails.

The company says it would employ about 185 people and invest more than 20 million dollars in the plant. The Michigan Business Development Program has approved a grant worth about a million dollars to support the project.

The City of Battle Creek would contribute by offering WKW a property tax abatement.

Sehvilla Mann joined WMUK’s news team in January 2014 as a reporter on the local government and education beats. Before that she covered a variety of topics, including environmental issues, for Bloomington, Indiana NPR and PBS affiliates WFIU and WTIU. She’s also written and produced stories for the Pacifica Network and WYSO Public Radio in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Sehvilla holds a B.A. in French from Earlham College and an M.A. in journalism from Indiana University.