For our latest partner feature, we had the pleasure of speaking with Dale Leftwich, Business Development Manager for JR Automation, about their decision to establish a presence in Tennessee, their use of local resources, and the role of TEAM TN in the automotive industry. 

About JR Automation

JR Automation (JRA), a Hitachi Company, is one of the largest custom equipment suppliers and integrators in the world. We are a global company with 24 locations across the US, Europe, and Asia. We serve virtually all markets and industries with current areas of strong growth in energy, life sciences/medical devices, automotive (all things EV), critical materials, & advanced materials (carbon fiber and composites).

We also serve the aerospace industry and its supply chain and are familiar with working with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Defense (DoD) on associated opportunities. 

Our mission statement is simple: “Driven to deliver customer success worldwide.” We do this by delivering custom solutions on time, while protecting the customer’s intellectual property as if it were our own. We seek long-term relationships and work as an extension of the customer’s team to make decisions in a transparent manner to ensure the success of the program.

What factors influenced your decision to establish a presence in Tennessee?

JR Automation acquired our Nashville location (formerly Wright Industries) in 2017. This spurred our capacity to support the numerous automotive companies in the Tennessee and Kentucky area, and strengthened our position with the addition of the process group, which provides complex processes, fibers, and composite material systems. The group also has extensive experience in various battery technologies used for the EV market and other commercial applications.

What local resources or partnerships unique to Tennessee has JR Automation leveraged to support growth and innovation?

JR Automation has great relationships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, IACMI – The Composites Institute, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the Tennessee Department of Commerce (TDCI), and the Tennessee  Department of Economic & Community Development (TNECD). Working with all of these entities has led to more business for JR Automation and brought many new companies to Tennessee.

A new customer looking to locate in TN can get everything they need within this consortium of universities, institutes, federal and state agencies, and private companies such as JR Automation.

How do you see TEAM TN helping Tennessee grow its leadership in the advanced mobility sector?

TEAM TN has the best possible group to make this a success. When you add three of the larger automotive companies to the consortium mentioned previously, there can be no stronger team in the US to tackle this innovation in AI, electrification, and automation. JR Automation has a specialty group, Digital Solutions, which supports AI applications and full plant controls all the way from the ERP/SAP down to machine-level control. Our entire customer base is looking at some aspect of digital solutions and AI as they seek to view real-time data for making important short and long-term decisions that affect their bottom line.

What does the future hold for your company in terms of growth, innovation or community involvement? 

The future looks promising for JR Automation. We are expecting double-digit organic growth annually while constantly on the lookout for potential acquisitions to enhance our global offerings.

JR Automation strongly believes in supporting the communities in which we live. We do this in a variety of ways, including funding several charities through our JRA Community Care Fund. We also strongly believe in making the world a better place for all. We are committed to reducing our own carbon footprint while working with our customer base to do the same.

JR Automation is also involved in developing and encouraging our youth to get educated in technical skills to support getting involved in automation or composites-related industries. We support local STEM programs and get involved in assisting students with robotics competitions and other activities

When you drive or fly, you are likely touching components that were produced on JRA equipment. When you shop at the local supermarket, you are likely purchasing many consumer products that were manufactured on JRA equipment. When you walk into your home, just look around, and there is a great chance that many of the building components (doors, windows, flooring, lighting, plumbing, etc.) were provided by equipment built by JR Automation. In closing, many of the products you touch every day are made better by the equipment designed by JR Automation.