Zaki Bekheet, director of manufacturing, engineering and special projects for the company, says the downturn in the economy requires the company create its own supply routes. "This plant is going to provide room for our raw materials for Ogura's consumption. We'd rather buy our raw material from the inside, through vertical integration," Bekheet tells GlobeSt.com.

"Right now the pressure is very high by the automotive companies for suppliers to cut costs and make concessions. There's no other way for us to survive without buying from ourselves," Bekheet says. Detroit area automotive companies have posted decreased earnings for the third quarter and have told suppliers that orders will be slowing down.

Phase one of the new development will cost $26 million and will consist of a one-story manufacturing complex and a two-story office building. Bekheet said the company paid another $11 million for the land, 26 acres at the northwest corner of 25 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue.