Noblesville delegation returns from meeting Japanese manufacturing partners

Submitted by City of Noblesville

Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen recently led a delegation of city leaders to Japan to meet with key international partners, SMC Corporation and Toyota Automated Logistics, both of which have made significant investments in Noblesville and continue to support the city’s economic growth and workforce development.

The delegation consisted of the following:

• Mayor Chris Jensen
• Mike Davis, Common Council President
• Aaron Smith, Common Council Vice President
• Sarah Reed, Community Development Director
• Lexie Rock, Communications Director
• Andrew Murray, Economic Development Director
• Ali Krupski, City Engineer

During the trip, the delegation met with leadership from SMC Corporation, Noblesville’s largest private-sector employer. In the 15 years since establishing operations in Noblesville, SMC has created more than 900 jobs and invested more than $200 million in its North American headquarters in Indiana.

The delegation toured an SMC manufacturing facility in Shimotsuma and visited the company’s advanced engineering hub at the Japan Technical Center in Kashiwa-Wakashiba before meeting with company leadership at headquarters in Tokyo. SMC Corporation of America is a part of a global organization that supports customers in every industrialized country and is the U.S. subsidiary of SMC Corporation based in Tokyo, Japan. SMC is a leader in pneumatic technology, providing industry with technology and products to support automation based on the guiding principle of “contributing to automation labor savings in industry.”

“Partnerships like the ones we’ve built with SMC Corporation and Toyota Automated Logistics don’t happen by accident. They are built through trust, consistency, and a shared vision for long-term success,” Mayor Jensen said. “These companies have made meaningful investments in Noblesville, not only in facilities, but in our people, workforce, and future. We are grateful for the opportunity to strengthen those relationships in person and continue supporting the companies that are creating opportunities for hardworking Hoosiers.”

“SMC’s partnership with Noblesville represents an important connection between our global organization and the communities where we operate,” SMC Executive Officer Shoichi Tomita said. “We were pleased to share SMC’s technology, manufacturing capabilities, and long-term vision during the delegation’s visit and appreciate the strong support shown for our continued investment in Indiana.”

“SMC is proud to call Noblesville home to our North American headquarters, and we greatly value the strong partnership we’ve built with the city over the past 15 years,” SMC Corporation of America President and CEO Kelley Stacy said. “The continued support from Mayor Jensen, the City administration, and the broader community has helped create an environment where we can continue investing in our people, operations, and long-term growth in Indiana.”

The delegation also met with leadership from Toyota Industries Corporation and Toyota Automated Logistics, global leaders in integrated warehouse automation and partners in Noblesville’s growing advanced manufacturing sector.

Photo provided by City of Noblesville

In 2024, Toyota Automated Logistics broke ground on a $165 million manufacturing and corporate headquarters campus in Noblesville, representing the single-largest private investment in the city’s history. The project is expected to retain approximately 400 jobs and create an additional 250 positions in the community.

“We are honored to continue strengthening our relationship with the City of Noblesville and appreciate Mayor Jensen and the delegation taking the time to visit our teams in Japan,” said Aaron Jones, President & CEO, Americas, Toyota Automated Logistics. “The momentum happening in Noblesville is incredibly exciting for our company and our team members. As the Americas headquarters for our global organization, Noblesville will play a critical role in supporting innovation, manufacturing and customer solutions across the region. We are proud to invest in a community that shares our long-term vision for growth, technology and creating opportunities for the future workforce.”

“I was honored to represent the Noblesville Common Council with Vice President Aaron Smith in visiting our partners at SMC and Toyota Automated Logistics in Japan,” Common Council President Mike Davis said. “The investments by these companies will significantly shape our local economy for generations. Supporting our partners and cultivating relationships with them is essential to our long-term growth and sustained efforts citywide for workforce development, innovation, and job creation.”

City leaders emphasized that maintaining strong international relationships remains an important part of Noblesville’s long-term economic development strategy and continued efforts to attract investment, innovation, and high-quality jobs to the community.

“Our trip to Japan reinforced that economic development success starts with taking care of our own,” Noblesville Economic Development Director Andrew Murray said. “Strong relationships, workforce investment, and supporting existing employers are the foundation of economic growth – and future businesses take notice when communities invest in the companies already here.”