Ficosa: A $58 Million Tier 1 Automotive Build to Suit in Cookeville, Tennessee
Ficosa North America, a Tier 1 supplier of automotive mirror systems for Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, and GM, consolidated five operations into a 264,750 square foot build to suit at Highlands Business Park in Cookeville, Tennessee. The $58 million project brought 550 new jobs plus 450 relocated positions, shifting component production from China and Mexico to Tennessee.
At a glance
| Client | Ficosa North America |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive mirror systems and blinker assemblies for Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, and GM |
| Location | Highlands Business Park, Cookeville, Putnam County, Tennessee |
| Building | 264,750 SF build to suit |
| Investment | $58 million |
| Jobs | 550 new positions plus 450 relocated |
| Groundbreaking | June 2015, after a two year development period preparing the site and community |
| Outcome | Five operations consolidated into one building, with component production moved from China and Mexico to Tennessee |
Who is Ficosa North America?
Ficosa North America is a Tier 1 automotive supplier manufacturing high-tech side-view mirror systems and blinker assemblies for Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, and GM.
Ficosa needed to consolidate five separate operations and evaluated locations across multiple states. The decision would move component production from China and Mexico into the United States, so the chosen site had to deliver workforce, infrastructure, and a building on a schedule a Tier 1 supplier could commit to its OEM customers.
What did Ficosa need?
Ficosa needed a 264,750 square foot manufacturing building, a workforce pipeline capable of staffing 1,000 positions, and a community and developer ready to move when the decision was made.
Tier 1 automotive work runs on program deadlines set by the OEMs. A supplier consolidating five operations cannot absorb site risk, permitting risk, or construction risk. Cookeville offered the workforce pipeline anchored by Tennessee Tech, and Highlands Business Park offered something rarer: a developer that had spent two years preparing the ground before Ficosa ever arrived, with land, infrastructure, and committed local leadership already in place.
How did The Hollingsworth Companies help?
Hollingsworth delivered the 264,750 square foot build to suit at Highlands Business Park, working as one team with Ficosa, the State of Tennessee, and Putnam County from site selection through equipment installation.
The groundbreaking came in June 2015, and by the April 2016 announcement construction was complete and equipment installation was underway. Tom Wortham, who led the project for Hollingsworth, called it a great team effort from top to bottom with the Ficosa team. The preparation that preceded the deal is the part most companies never see: available land, pre-positioned infrastructure, and an experienced industrial developer meant the two year development period happened before the tenant needed it, not after.
What were the results?
Ficosa consolidated five operations into the Cookeville building, invested $58 million, and created 550 new jobs alongside 450 relocated positions.
The project moved real production from China and Mexico to Putnam County, Tennessee, years before reshoring became the industry's dominant conversation. Ficosa's global chief executive Javier Pujol described it as a strategic move enabling the consolidation of key operations and further future growth. For companies evaluating Cookeville, the Ficosa building is standing proof that Highlands Business Park supports Tier 1 automotive manufacturing at scale.
This is a strategic move that will allow the consolidation of key operations and enable further future growth.
This was a great team effort from top to bottom with the Ficosa team.
Frequently asked questions
What did The Hollingsworth Companies build for Ficosa?
A 264,750 square foot build to suit manufacturing building at Highlands Business Park in Cookeville, Tennessee, supporting a $58 million investment and roughly 1,000 jobs.
Why did Ficosa choose Cookeville, Tennessee?
Cookeville offered a workforce pipeline anchored by Tennessee Tech, and Highlands Business Park offered prepared land, infrastructure, committed local leadership, and an experienced industrial developer after Ficosa evaluated locations in multiple states.
Does Hollingsworth have Tier 1 automotive experience?
Yes. The Ficosa building at Highlands Business Park was built for Tier 1 mirror system production serving Nissan, Ford, Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, and GM, and Hollingsworth has developed buildings for automotive suppliers across the Southeast.
Are buildings available at Highlands Business Park in Cookeville?
Yes. Cookeville is Hollingsworth's primary market for current availability, with buildings available now and under development at Highlands Business Park.