Mishimoto moves into Spanish Springs

Mishimoto Automotive, a manufacturer and distributor of high performance cooling systems for the auto industry headquartered in Delaware, is the latest company making the move into the Truckee Meadows.

The company is relocating its Western region warehousing and distribution operations from the Los Angeles area to an approximately 53,000-square-foot facility in Spanish Springs.

Chris Valis, vice president of global logistics support for Mishimoto, said logistically, Nevada made better sense to serve its customers in the western part of the United States.

“Proximity to our customers was a key factor,” Valis said in a press release. “It became apparent that this was where we needed to be to grow our business and take it to the next level.”

Valis indicated Mishimoto had looked at locations in Henderson and Las Vegas, before deciding northern Nevada made the most sense.

“Reno-Sparks looks to be experiencing a great period of growth,” Valis said in a phone interview last week. “It’s also developed into a nice hub for distribution and warehousing to the Western region.”

Mishimoto plans to hire 15 to 25 people at the new facility in the next few years, including possibly a couple of executive level positions. Valis said it will look at every avenue to recruit new employees from the northern Nevada area.

He added that the company will offer sustainable wages to meet the rising cost of living in Reno-Sparks, plus benefits including a matching 401(k) program.

“At Mishimoto, we’re very employee-centric,” Valis said. “We market a full package of benefits to our employees.”

Dan Buhrman from CBRE, Inc. partnered with Mishimoto to assist the company in its relocation to the area.

Mishimoto was formally introduced into the Reno-Sparks community at the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) New and Expanding Company Welcome Reception on Thursday, Dec. 8.

Mishimoto was founded in 2003 in New Castle, Del., by Mike Sullivan with a staff of five people. It started out manufacturing radiators for the automotive industry, a product that Valis said was very scarce and desperately needed at the time. It has since has branched out into other cooling systems products and components designed for high performance and race cars, trucks and Jeeps.

Valis added that its corporate research and development staff have kept the company on the cutting edge of technology and given itself a competitive edge in the niche industry.

Mishimoto has other operations in various locations around the world including the East Coast, the United Kingdom, and China.