Windsor beat Ontario, U.S. cities for German auto-part manufacturer headquarters

Windsor is the city that won the heart of a German auto component manufacturer searching for its first headquarters outside of its home country. Windsor beat out other Ontario cities, southern American states and Asia.

Kauth officially opened its doors to the North American headquarters Thursday, located at 3485 Wheelton Drive.

"We had a lot of meetings together, and they have the best package for us, which is very interesting," said Steffen May, chief financial officer of Kauth. "Windsor is a very interesting city."

Kauth is a family owned business founded in 1928 in Germany. The company has manufacturing facilities across the world, employing more than 900 people.

They specialize in stamping, forming, developing and producing formed parts for automotive companies such as Audi and Chevrolet.

May pointed to the city's proximity to the states and the location being close to the airport as some of the assets.

The tip that Kauth was looking for a new headquarter space came in through the Canadian embassy in Berlin, said Stephen MacKenzie, CEO of WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation.

He said the region hosted tours and visits, and made a trip out to Germany to show the company that they are serious.

And as it turns out, mayor Drew Dilkens was the only one to visit them in Germany, according to May.

The entire process took 18 months to finalize the agreement.

This new facility is expected to bring up to 350 jobs to the region. The company is going to start with 25 employees for distribution and warehousing, before expanding its facility. Already two people have been hired.

The new headquarters is situated off Rhodes Drive near the Windsor International Airport.