Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc. plans to expand its Lafayette, Ind., manufacturing plant at a projected cost of $400 million. The plan is to add capacity and start production of the Subaru Impreza hatchback sedan, beginning in 2016. Construction will begin this fall.
Currently, the automaker is already in progress with a $75-million expansion project announced in May 2012 to increase capacity from 156,000 to 180,000 units annually.
Subaru of Indiana is the North American subsidiary of Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. At the Lafayette plant SIA manufactures Subaru Legacy, Outback, and Tribeca, and the Toyota Camry under contract with Toyota.
The plant will be expanded by more than 500,000 square feet, and new manufacturing equipment will be installed, including in the paint and assembly areas. The production flow will be altered, too, the company said, as it adds capacity for about 100,000 vehicles/year.
