Cooper Standard Automotive has acquired USi from Ikuyo of Japan, effective immediately. USi, based in Rockford, Tennessee, provides an exclusive hard coating process for use in automotive and industrial applications, including bright trim assemblies on vehicles produced by a number of global automakers, including Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan Motor and Toyota. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
“This is an excellent acquisition for Cooper Standard, as it allows us to apply USi’s innovative hard coating technology on products we currently offer, while also expanding our product offering,” said Cooper chairman and CEO Jim McElya. “USi’s portfolio incorporates Japanese, North American and European technologies, which will allow [us] to offer our global customers a full-range of bright trim sealing assemblies that are quickly gaining popularity.”
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Through the sale, Cooper Standard acquires USi’s 109,000 square-foot plant in Rockford and access to USi’s unique coating process that allows for the development of a multitude of surface finishes to meet growing customer demand. The buyer has plans to spread USi’s technology and capabilities to its European businesses, where automakers are also seeking bright trim and hard-coated products to enhance overall vehicle appearance.
