20 Aug IAC Iowa City Plant Celebrating 50 Years in Business This Weekend
One of city’s Top 10 employers recognizing families and community at gathering
IOWA CITY, Iowa (August 20, 2014) – Leading global automotive and commercial vehicle interiors supplier International Automotive Components (IAC) will celebrate 50 years of business at its Iowa City plant with a community-focused celebration this Saturday, Aug. 23. The plant, which consists of a manufacturing facility and Tooling Technical Center, has served several industries over the course of its existence with a heavy emphasis on automotive. Now, it is 100 percent dedicated to manufacturing vehicle components for companies including Chrysler, Ford, GM, KIA and Polaris.
“To think that IAC Iowa City is celebrating five decades this weekend is incredible and a true testament to the quality of our people,” said Brian Pedrick, IAC Iowa City Plant Manager. “In my 15 years as plant manager of this facility, I have always been impressed by my colleagues here, many of whom have been with us from the beginning, as well as the world-class products and processes that come out of this plant. We are all thankful to Iowa City for helping us prosper.”
Festivities will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and will offer a variety of games and activities for families and children. A collection of vehicles the plant has supported over the years as well as video representation of both past and present plant activities will be on display. More than 3,000 employees, family members, local dignitaries and other IAC partners are expected to participate in the anniversary event.
IAC, now one of Iowa City’s top ten employers, has been a major company in the region for half a century. Kicking off its automotive production with the 1967 Ford F-150 pick-up truck, the plant’s roughly 800 employees now support the manufacture and delivery of automotive interior components to more than 11 vehicle nameplates, including the Dodge Dart, Chevrolet Camaro, Kia Sorrento and Polaris Slingshot. The plant produces about 4,000 parts daily.
Additionally, the Tooling Technical Center specializes in nickel tooling that is produced for numerous IAC plants around the world, allowing for the best grain replication, quality and consistency – a feature IAC has come to be synonymous with.
The plant also specializes in IAC key products and manufacturing processes including instrument panels, door panels and bolsters, armrest, injection molding, slush and rotational molding, and thermoforming. The tooling, core products and manufacturing processes at IAC’s Iowa City plant fully demonstrate vertical integration of manufacturing, allowing IAC to assert more control over key components it produces and pass quality and savings onto IAC customers around the world.
“After half a century of product manufacturing, this plant is better equipped than ever to continue delivering the best service, products and processes in the industry,” Pedrick added.
The facility was converted from a Lear plant to an IAC facility in 2007. Prior, the spaced served as a location for United Technologies Automotive and Sheller Globe.
