Global engineering and design company RLE International announced it will establish a new Modification and Engineering Center in Kansas City, investing $7.5 million and creating 85 high-paying jobs. RLE’s state-of-the-art facility will provide complex engineering, design, and build solutions for automotive and mobility clients.
“Missouri is a global leader in innovation and advanced manufacturing, which support our robust automotive industry and many others,” said Governor Mike Parson. “Our state is proud to welcome RLE, as a valuable addition to an already vibrant automotive sector in Kansas City. These 85 new high-paying jobs will strengthen the region’s economy as well as provide life-changing opportunities for Missouri families.”
RLE International is involved in the development of new vehicles with a wide range of customers. The company helps manufacturers and start-ups develop, refine, and test electric vehicles from initial vision to production. RLE’s new facility, a low-volume production Modification Center, will be located within Hunt Midwest’s SubTropolis. Known for its security and eco-friendly environment, SubTropolis is the world’s largest underground business complex. It also provides controlled temperature and humidity levels, in addition to railroad and highway access.
“Our team at RLE International offers an upfront innovation strategy to transform customers’ base vehicles to a range of design variants, right from ideation, through design and development, and into low-volume production,” said Robert Kokx, President of RLE USA. “With the addition of our Mod Center, we can offer a ‘one-stop-shop solution to our clients. We are truly excited to join forces with the talented people Kansas City has to offer and together take on our new possibilities.”
New positions at RLE’s facility will include Plant Manager, Operations Manager, Engineering Manager, Quality Manager, IT systems engineer, production supervisors, human resource generalists, and more. The 85 new jobs will pay an average annual salary of more than $67,000, which is well above the county average wage. A list of employment opportunities are available on RLE’s website.
For this expansion, RLE used the Missouri Works program, a tool that helps companies expand and retain workers by providing access to capital through withholdings or tax credits for job creation. The company is also receiving assistance from Missouri One Start, a division of the Department of Economic Development. Missouri One Start assists eligible businesses with their recruitment and training needs.
Learn more about Missouri Works and Missouri One Start.
