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Turkish manufacturer abandons plans for Lansing area factory, 200 jobs

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Turkish manufacturer abandons plans for Lansing area factory, 200 jobs

BATH TWP. – Turkish-based company Norm Fasteners has abandoned plans to build a 365,000-square-foot manufacturing facility on nearly 20 acres off Webster Road.

The company, which makes screws and bolts and other fasteners for the auto industry and others, is now considering two other locations for the project, Lansing Economic Area Partnership President and CEO Bob Trezise said. One site is in the Lansing region, he said.

The company first announced intentions to build a facility in Bath Township last year. The development was expected to employ 200 people.

It’s unclear why Norm Fasteners is pulling away from the Bath Township property.

“We don’t want to be sharing many details about the final decision, but at this moment, the board of directors has decided to look into the due diligence and look for alternative sites,” said Koray Gurbuz, a general manager with the company. “At this moment, we are currently investigating other opportunities within Michigan and as well as some other states.”

Trezise said the company is reacting to changes in the world manufacturing climate.

“They have described just a rapidly changing global manufacturing environment, and that they are having to be very nimble about their decision making,” he said.

The decision to seek a different location means the state won’t award $3.8 million in assistance through the Michigan Strategic Fund for a township sewer project tied to the development, Trezise said.

Norm Fasteners could still secure a $1.6 million Michigan Business Development Program grant if it builds the facility in Michigan, he said.

The company won’t get any incentives unless a facility is built, Trezise said.

LEAP is still actively working with the company to secure a location in the Lansing region for the facility, he said.

“We are extremely active with them, as we speak, on another site and the region but they are looking at a site outside of the region as well,” Trezise said.

Both properties are in Michigan, he said.

Norm Fasteners provides fasteners to Volkswagen, Ford and John Deere among others, and operates 14 manufacturing facilities in Turkey, along with locations in Europe and an office in Canada.

Contact Rachel Greco at rgreco@lsj.com. Follow her on X @GrecoatLSJ .

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