The new engineering office is in the heart of "Ford country."
The expansion of a global engineering firm in Dearborn - along with the projected hiring of about 70 engineers - is one example of spinoff business from Ford Motor Company's investment in Michigan.
RLE International dedicated its new North American Product Development Center this week, celebrating its move into about 20,000 square feet of office/flex space near Rotunda and Greenfield.
The location in Dearborn is due in part to the relationship RLE has with Ford, both in previous overseas projects and in a new contract that prompting this opening.
The new office is in the heart of "Ford country," between the automaker's world headquarters campus and iconic Rouge plant - and close to its product development center.
It's that proximity to the heart of Ford's engineering muscle that makes a difference to RLE, its North American president said.
"We wanted to be very close to the Ford development center," said Rob Kokx.
RLE will be hiring up to 70 engineers to staff the new office, which is the result of a new contract with the automaker. While details on RLE's work are part of a confidentiality agreement, Kokx said, it represents new business for the automaker - not a lost contract for another engineering firm.
It's also tied to "a couple of new projects that have been in the news."
Among projects Ford has announced are a $700 million investment in its Flat Rock plant to produce 13 new electric vehicles and a $4.5 billion investment in electric vehicle development.
Phil Collareno, executive director of North America and Global Product Programs, said that Ford has 12 electric vehicles in the pipeline today. That's just a part of where Ford seeks to maintain its automotive leadership amid future advances, he said during a dedication for the new office space.
"We plan to be the leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles and electrification, (which is) a big part of where RLE is helping us now, and customer experience," Collareno.
"The business case for electrification is not very good, but I do think it's changing," Collareno said. By 2030, he said, Ford expects the number of electric vehicles on roadways to exceed gas and diesel products.
RLE is celebrating its chance to grow alongside Ford, which is the second-largest automaker in the U.S. Among its specialties are engineering for electric vehicles, powertrains and auto body structure. The company, based in Germany, also has offices in Spain, India and the United Kingdom.
Its U.S. headquarters is in Madison Heights and it also has a prototype building shop in Sterling Heights. It employs about 100, with customers typically Tier One auto suppliers and the work not as site-specific as with its new engineering center.
Kokx said he's hopeful that the first wave of hiring in Dearborn will prompt additional expansion.
"We'd like to see this center growing," he said, noting that discussions to acquire more space already have started.
The RLE center was tough to find, Kokx noted. He sought many windows, a wide open space to inspire collaboration, and also needed a garage area that could be locked as confidential projects unfolded.
"We've learned that if you're in one building, but two different rooms, you're not having the same collaborative process," he said.
That's important, Kokx said, as his colleagues participate in the massive transportation change that's under way.
"These car companies are thinking about these transportation solutions that go beyond what you see out there today."