A South Korean auto parts manufacturer is pouring more than $93 million into northern Macomb County, building a sprawling 400,000-square-foot facility in Chesterfield Township that will create 102 new jobs while retaining 171 existing positions. The project, tied to Hansae Mobility USA Manufacturing LLC, will combine assembly and machining operations under one roof along the I-94 corridor, a move the company says will cut transportation costs and shore up its supply chain closer to home.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the expansion during an economic development mission to East Asia, where state officials and companies in automotive manufacturing and other industries are meeting this month, according to MLive. Hansae Mobility USA Manufacturing LLC is a subsidiary of South Korea-based Hansae Mobility Co. Ltd., a company that manufactures driveline systems and other vehicle components for major automakers worldwide. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is backing the project with a $625,000 performance-based grant issued through the Michigan Business Development Program.
That grant only pays out as Hansae Mobility hits verified job-creation, wage, and capital-investment milestones, per the Michigan Strategic Fund's program structure. Michigan Works! and the state's Going PRO Talent Fund could also provide additional workforce assistance, with the latter program offering employers grants between $2,000 and $3,500 per worker for short-term, industry-recognized credential training through local Michigan Works! agencies, according to the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
From Pontiac Assembly Line to a 400,000-Square-Foot Hub
The Chesterfield Township project marks a major leap for a company that got its Michigan start in a much smaller footprint. Hansae Mobility previously operated a 156,992-square-foot facility on Centerpoint Parkway in Pontiac, which opened in 2018 under the name ERAE USA and focused primarily on vehicle component assembly, per company records. The new facility, by contrast, will merge machining and assembly into a single integrated operation, a scale-up that reflects both the company's growth and its recent corporate transformation.
That transformation traces back to South Korean conglomerate Hansae Yes24 Group's late-2024 acquisition of automotive supplier Erae AMS Co. Ltd., which was formally renamed Hansae Mobility in February 2025, according to The Korea Herald. Roy (Taein) Kim, president of Hansae Mobility USA Manufacturing LLC, said the investment represents an important next step in the company's growth.
Tariffs and a Key Client Drove the Timing
The push into Chesterfield Township did not happen in a vacuum. In April 2025, Hansae Mobility leadership announced plans to shift core manufacturing operations from South Korea to the U.S. by 2027, aiming to insulate the company against potential 25 percent U.S. auto-part tariffs and to locate production closer to its primary client, Stellantis, the Korea Herald reported. The company specializes in driveline and chassis components, including halfshaft drive axles, CV joints, e-axles, and steering columns, supplying automakers such as Stellantis, Volkswagen, Porsche, and Rivian.
Local officials framed the expansion as both an economic and workforce win. Macomb County Planning and Economic Development Director Vicky Rowinski said the project represents an investment in the local economy and workforce, noting that Hansae Mobility is retaining 171 existing jobs while creating approximately 102 new positions. Chesterfield Township Supervisor Bradley Kersten said the facility will bring more than 100 jobs to the area.
Why Chesterfield Township Keeps Landing Big Auto Deals
Chesterfield Township's appeal to global suppliers isn't new. The Hansae Mobility deal also follows Gestamp's former plant in the township.
The broader numbers help explain the draw. Macomb County's automotive ecosystem includes more than 680 automotive and mobility companies, major assembly operations for Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, and a sector GDP of $12.2 billion as of 2024, according to the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development. Statewide, Michigan led the nation in automotive manufacturing scale as of early 2025, with 937 automotive establishments, 178,092 industry workers, and facilities operating for 96 of North America's top 100 auto suppliers, per the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
The Hansae Mobility project adds to a string of recent Macomb County manufacturing announcements. Hoodline previously reported on a Sterling Heights defense deal that brought 125 jobs to the county, while an AI company's move into Shelby Township and ongoing labor tension at Stellantis's Sterling Heights Ram plant have kept the region's auto supply chain in the spotlight this year.
