The Shyft Group—headquartered in Novi, Michigan, has announced it will invest $16 million to expand its Charlotte, Michigan facilities to enable the production of commercial electric vehicles (EVs) for its Blue Arc EV Solutions brand, launched last year.
The monies will be used for expansion and improvements in facilities, as well as new equipment related to the production of EVs.
“We’re extremely proud to invest in EV production here in our home state of Michigan where our company has been headquartered for nearly 50 years,” said Daryl Adams, the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Shyft Group. “We are thankful to be part of the Charlotte community and look forward to bringing the future of fleets to our operations there.”
The Charlotte campus, with seven facilities, is currently home to multiple Shyft product lines, including walk-in delivery vans, motorhome chassis, and work truck chassis. The addition of Blue Arc EV production will help support the company’s previous commitment towards employment levels on the Charlotte campus, with Blue Arc bringing a wide range of engineering, manufacturing, and technical jobs to Charlotte.
With the expansion, upgrades to facilities, and installation of new equipment, Shyft will have the capacity to produce up to 3,000 EVs per year in Charlotte. The company previously announced an initial customer pre-order for 2,000 Class 3, 4, and 5 all-electric delivery vehicles.
The expansion is being supported by co-investment and business incentives from the city of Charlotte, the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
“Congratulations to the Shyft team on your continued growth and success. This investment underscores the strength of your business powered by our state’s talented workforce and leadership in mobility and advanced manufacturing,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., the Chief Executive Officer of the MEDC and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “We are grateful to the Governor, bipartisan legislators, and local officials for their continued support of the Jobs Ready Michigan Program, which supports upskilling and training opportunities for our friends and neighbors across the state. We’re grateful to Shyft for this vote of confidence in Michigan and look forward to working together to grow, add jobs, and provide greater opportunity in Mid-Michigan.”
Added Bob Trezise, the President and Chief Executive Officer of LEAP: “This is another critical addition to the growing EV Capital of America here in Lansing Michigan region. From their family-owned roots in Charlotte, the Shyft Group’s impressive growth into an innovative global heavyweight industry player has blossomed under CEO Daryl Adam’s leadership and team. The competition from other communities and states is intense for a growing company like Shyft and overall for electric vehicles and adjacent industry projects. Shyft’s continued commitment to invest locally has been clear and our region is better off because of it.”
Charlotte Mayor Michael Armitage said, “That Charlotte will be home to this important commercial segment of the EV vehicle market is fantastic news. The Shyft Group has been a vital part of the city's business community for many, many years and we are proud to continue partnering with their growing company."
Poised to lead as the only player designing and manufacturing integrated chassis and specialty bodies in-house for the Class 3-5 segment, Blue Arc EV Solutions has selected leading automotive suppliers for key vehicle systems and subsystems in the EV chassis and the fully reimagined all-electric delivery walk-in van.
The Shyft Group is the North American leader in specialty vehicle manufacturing, assembly, and upfit for the commercial, retail, and service specialty vehicle markets. Its customers include first-to-last mile delivery companies across vocations, federal, state, and local government entities; the trades; and utility and infrastructure segments. Its family of brands includes Blue Arc EV Solutions, Utilimaster, Royal Truck Body, DuraMag and Magnum, Strobes-R-Us, Spartan RV Chassis, Red Diamond Aftermarket Solutions, and Builtmore Contract Manufacturing. More information may be found at www.TheShyftGroup.com.