Ind. auto parts maker to expand

Sunright America Inc. plans to build a new production facility that will allow it to triple its production capacity and add jobs.

The Toyota Motor Corp. parts supplier will spend $6 million on the 170,000-square-foot building and $4 million for manufacturing equipment. Sunright received a tax abatement from the Columbus City Council for the project.

"We need more floor space to catch up with our customer requirements," Sunright Director of Administration Toshiaki Takeuchi told the council.

The move to the new location will allow Sunright to keep all 57 jobs and add 24 more by June 30, 2008. Takeuchi has said he hopes to complete construction of the building later this year.

The abatement, which was approved Tuesday, will phase in property taxes over the next 10 years.

Sunright supplies nuts, bolts and specialty fasteners, according to the Indiana Economic Development Corp., which chipped in $100,000 in grants for infrastructure improvements for the project.