JR Automation (JR Automation, A Hitachi Group Company) is a Michigan-based US automation systems integrator founded in 1980, expanding its battery module/pack assembly automation solutions since being acquired by Hitachi in 2019.
1. Company Overview
- Company name: JR Automation Technologies, LLC (A Hitachi Group Company)
- Founded: 1980, by founder Ken Wassink
- Headquarters: Holland, Michigan, USA
- Ownership: acquired by Hitachi, Ltd. in 2019 for approximately $1.425 billion
- Scale: approx. 2,000 employees, more than 20 facilities worldwide (North America, Europe, Asia)
2. History and Personnel
Founded in 1980 in Holland, Michigan, the company contributed to making West Michigan a hub of the advanced automation industry. It was acquired by Hitachi in 2019, and in 2024 jointly acquired Germany’s MA Micro Automation together with Hitachi. In September 2025, it announced plans to build a new $72.8 million global headquarters in Michigan.
The company holds more than 45 years of experience spanning robotic systems integration, testing, dispensing, material handling, and assembly solutions. Approximately 2,000 employees work across more than 20 facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia.
3. Core Technology and Key Equipment
The company holds closed-loop automation technology that secures ‘the last millimeter’ of precision in battery module/pack assembly, including inline laser-weld depth monitoring, real-time verification of adhesive/sealant/thermal-interface-material dispensing volumes, and torque/angle-monitoring-based fastening traceability.
- Inline laser-weld depth monitoring system
- Inline verification of dispensing processes (adhesive, sealant, thermal interface material)
- Torque/angle-monitoring fastening traceability
- Vision-guided cover assembly and sealing verification system
4. Production Infrastructure and Quality Assurance
The company is building a new 286,000-square-foot global headquarters in Holland, Michigan (76,000 square feet of office space, 210,000 square feet of assembly space for customer automation projects). It has also set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality and zero landfill waste by 2030.
5. Delivery Track Record and Partnerships
A case has been publicly disclosed in which the company supplied EV battery pack assembly automation solutions to Lion Electric. Individual contracts with battery cell manufacturers are (undisclosed).
6. Financial Status and Roadmap
As a Hitachi Group subsidiary, the 2019 acquisition price was approximately $1.425 billion (per public materials). Individual revenue/profit figures are (undisclosed).
The company is pursuing a direction of developing into a ‘One Hitachi’ hub, combining Hitachi’s AI/IoT (Lumada) technology to build an intelligent manufacturing ecosystem based on digital twins and edge computing.
This profile was compiled from publicly available sources including the Hitachi Newsroom (hitachi.com), Preqin, LinkedIn, and advancedmanufacturing.org; unverified figures and non-public information have not been arbitrarily included.