Drivetrain Manufacturer to Create 175 Jobs
By Terry Troy
Dana Light Axle Manufacturing is planning to locate in Napoleon, a move that will create more than 175 jobs with an expected annual payroll of $7.4 million. In a press release from Governor DeWine’s office, the company was granted a 1.3735 seven-year tax credit through the Ohio Tax Credit Authority.
While further details about the project have yet to be ironed out, local officials, including Jennifer Arps, executive director of the Henry County Community Improvement Corporation and Ohio Senator Rob McColley applauded the project.
“This is another win for the hardworking people of Napoleon and their economy,” Senator McColley said in a prepared statement. This week Dana Incorporated also received the news that it placed in the 90th percentile on the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability in its first year participating in the assessment. The company was also recognized with the S&P Global 2022 Sustainability Yearbook Member Award, which honors the top performing companies by industry.
Established in 1999, the CSA has become the basis for numerous indices over the last two decades, evaluating companies across a broad range of metrics and scoring them in three major categories: environmental, social, and governance.
“Dana is proud to be in the 90th percentile among our peers in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment and to receive the Sustainability Yearbook Member Award. This is the result of Dana’s commitment across our organization to reduce our environmental footprint, advance sustainable business practices through innovation, and empower our people to take action,” said Doug Liedberg, Dana senior vice president and chief sustainability officer. “Sustainability and social responsibility remain core to our culture and values as we continue to support our customers in powering the next generation of clean energy vehicles and machines that will help move our world forward.”
Among Dana’s many 2021 sustainability improvement initiatives, the company committed to accelerating the reduction of its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – by more than 50 percent by 2030 – ahead of its original target of 2035. The company also signed a commitment letter with the Science Based Target Initiative, which focuses on partnering with companies to help validate emissions reduction targets.
Last week, Dana also announced that its Spicer Electrified™ motor and inverter system will be featured on custom vehicles competing in the new Ultra4™ electrified vehicle racing series. The announcement was made during the annual King of the Hammers™ event held Jan. 27-Feb. 5 in Johnson Valley, California. For the Ultra4 racing series, Dana joined forces with integration partner Hypercraft, an electric vehicle industry supplier of complete, turn-key electric vehicle powertrain systems for manufacturers of high-performance vehicles.
“Dana has been at the forefront of developing and manufacturing electrified vehicle powertrains for trucks and off-road vehicles, making partnering with the Ultra4 racing series an excellent showcase for our products,” said Seth Metzger, senior vice president of electrification for Dana. “This program raises awareness of the unique capabilities of electrification and provides an opportunity to inspire the next generation of enthusiasts, racers, and engineers as electric vehicles become more attainable for everyone.”
“As a leading supplier in the light-vehicle-truck market, Dana developed the powerful Spicer Electrified TM4 SUMO LD motor and inverter system to be durable and tough. It is ideal for the rugged off-road vehicles that will compete in this exciting new series,” continued Metzger. “Together with our integration partner Hypercraft, we are looking forward to the chance to showcase how well electrification performs in the extreme conditions that Ultra4 Racing presents.”
Based in Maumee, in Northwest Ohio, Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company reported sales of $7.1 billion in 2020 with 38,000 associates in 33 countries across six continents.
