WELCOME, FICOSA!

In Cookeville, TN on June 9, 2015, a large crowd gathered to celebrate breaking ground on the new consolidated and expanded US manufacturing facility of 264,000 SF for Ficosa North America.

The City of Cookeville, Putnam County, Ficosa and The Hollingsworth Companies worked together for two years to develop the new, state of the art advanced manufacturing facility that will manufacture and assemble new high technology side-view mirrors and blinker assemblies for multiple automotive OEMs. This “Southern Advantage” success story can be traced back to the relationship between The Hollingsworth Companies, Putnam County and the City of Cookeville’s cooperation in being totally prepared to meet the needs of Ficosa. Ficosa evaluated a number of potential locations in multiple states, but all the efforts to have: land, infrastructure, a team of community leaders, coupled with a versatile Industrial Developer ready to make things happen paid off. The ironic part is that a project taking two years to close, would not have landed in Cookeville had it not been ready when the process started. Even though it might have been possible to assemble the land and infrastructure during that period, the discussion would have never started if the pre-requisites were not already accomplished. Promises to get it done quickly are too risky for companies like Ficosa to commit to such an important investment. Success comes to those who are best prepared (land infrastructure, committed community leaders and a versatile experienced developer), and work hard every day to make it happen. That is exactly why the Ficosa, Cookeville, Putnam Co. project will be a Tennessee model for success for years to come.