02/19/2026
Aisin USA Mfg., Inc.'s Rick Rebber, far left, discusses the company's manufacturing processes with local economic, government and school officials during a tour of the Seymour plant March 3, 1994.
Company officials showed off a 141,000-square-foot addition to the plant. AISIN employed 640 people at the time, and it expected to add 30 to 50 new positions before the end of the year with the expansion, making it Jackson County's second largest manufacturing employer and third largest overall employer at the time.
During a speech to more than 100 local and state business, industrial and school officials, President and CEO Sadao Seki said AISIN's sales had doubled during the previous four years to $140 million in 1993. The expansion allowed the company to expand its manufacturing capabilities and add new machinery and equipment with total new investments of nearly $30 million.
Company officials broke ground in August 1986 for AISIN's first phase, a 150,000-square-foot building. A 124,000-square-foot expansion was completed in July 1989. Construction for this third phase began in December 1993.
At the time, AISIN produced automotive components for automobile makers, including Toyota's Georgetown, Kentucky, plant. Those components included brakes, engines, latching devices, exterior trim molding and door frames.
As part of the open house for the Phase 3 completion, the company donated money to the city of Seymour and the county's four school districts. That included $20,000 for the city to upgrade park playground equipment, $10,000 to Seymour Community School Corp. and $7,500 each to Brownstown Central Community School Corp., Crothersville Community School Corp. and Medora Community School Corp. Superintendents of those districts said the funds would help their schools' programs that are designed to prepare students for technical positions in industry.
Source: The Tribune
