A manufacturer of all-terrain vehicles and jet skis plans to add hundreds of jobs as part of a major expansion of its Nebraska factory.
Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing will invest $200 million to add assembly, painting, and welding capacity and bolster automation at the Lincoln facility, the Lincoln Journal Star reports. The company, a subsidiary of the Kawasaki Heavy Industries conglomerate, expects the project to increase production capacity for ATVs, jet skis, and other small vehicles.
Kawasaki officials said the company is experiencing strong demand for its powersports products and hopes to increase its market share in that segment. The company also secured a contract to build subway cars for the New York City Transit Authority in 2018; the first of its R211 cars were delivered in recent weeks.
Kawasaki said it hopes to add about 550 employees between its consumer products division and its railcar operations in Lincoln. The company also operates an aerospace manufacturing division at the facility.
"For nearly 50 years, Kawasaki has positively impacted the business landscape of Lincoln,” Lincoln Chamber of Commerce President Wendy Birdsall said. “This expansion project will play a vital role in our ongoing workforce development efforts, creating hundreds of new jobs for members of our community.”
