Lightweight automotive supplier Nemak is hiring for more than 40 positions at its Sheboygan facilities as it prepares for new business awards going into production in the next year.
The company, which is based in Monterrey, Mexico, develops and manufactures aluminum powertrain and body structure components. It is hiring a dozen maintenance technicians to start immediately on second, third and weekend shifts. There are also more than 30 general production positions available.
Tom Bair, Nemak human resources manager, said the company has been awarded more than 20 new programs that are set to begin production in the next year. The company has added 100 jobs this year and currently has 1,250 employees in the area.
“Beyond putting together an extremely competitive wage structure for maintenance employees, we’ve implemented a world class training program to put our maintenance workforce through an on-site millwright journeyman certification,” Bair said. “We’re bringing in a lot of state of the art equipment that needs to be maintained properly to ensure longevity, so we believe these are the right steps to invest in our future.”
Bair said the company’s growth is being driven by strength in the automotive industry combined with a shift in transmissions among OEMs. The major automakers are changing from four to six speed transmissions to ones with eight, nine or 10 speeds, he said. That shift has resulted in increased capital investments for Nemak as machining lines that worked 10 or 15 years ago no longer meet customer specifications. As a result, the company is investing $60 million in its Sheboygan facililites in 2016 and 2017.
Nemak is holding a job fair from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Blue Harbor Conference Center in Sheboygan. The company is offering $5,000 sign on bonuses. Journeyman electricians, millwrights and experienced technicians possessing an associate degree in electro-mechanical technology will earn a minimum of $27.50 per hour. Non-journeyman, experienced industrial maintenance technicians are encouraged to apply to enter the company’s maintenance training program, which will place them on a wage path to $27.50 per hour while earning a journeyman’s card.
The company is also part of a partnership between the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corp. and Milwaukee’s Vincent High School aimed at exposing students to career opportunities in the Sheboygan area.
