JST Corp., an advanced electronic connector manufacturer in Japan, will build a new facility in Guntersville.
The company already has 30 full-time employees at its small testing facility in the city, but the new engineering and production space, located on 250 acres in Conners Island Business Park, is expected to add 80 employees initially, with further room to expand.
The company makes cable assemblies and inifite switch connectors, both of which are made and designed in Guntersville.
“We are excited to expand on our success in Guntersville with the Conners Island manufacturing and design facility,” said Phillip Mosley, division manager for JST. “This will be a showcase for both the company and the state, combining our AI driven automation with Alabama’s natural beauty in a unique facility.”
The new facility will complement the company’s production facility in Waukegan, Illinois.
Guntersville Mayor Leigh Dollar said, “We have been very intentional about the right kind of tenants for Conners Island Business Park. It is a real honor for a global leader like JST to validate our long relationship with such a marquee facility.”
JST’s purchase agreement for the property includes the bulk of Conners Island’s remaining acreage. The company’s architectural partner, Ryuichi Ashizawa of Japan, will integrate unique architectural elements into the facility, drawing upon the natural environment for inspiration.
JST, founded in 1957, has 17 factories globally including facilities in Illinois, Michigan, California and Pennsylvania, as well as Guntersville. The company serves companies like Whirlpool, Electrolux, Ford, Tesla, Lucid Motors, Stellantis, General Motors and Bose.
