The Birmingham News- December 14, 2012
JASPER, Alabama -- Vistech Manufacturing Solutions, a minority-owned auto supplier with a plant in Jasper, is expanding its business through a match-making program run by Toyota.
By the end of 2013, Vistech expects to add 10 jobs to its 30-member workforce in Jasper, as well as $3 million in annual revenue. The California-based company is a second tier supplier for Toyota's auto plant near Tupelo, Miss. It supplies automotive interior parts, such as spare tire boards and fender liners, to a first tier supplier for that plant.
Through the Toyota Opportunity Exchange program, the automaker introduces minority-owned businesses to other direct suppliers. In this case, Toyota's match-making connected Vistech with a Tier 1 supplier that also does work for Nissan, and Vistech will be supplying parts for that automaker under its new contract.
Although Vistech's new work is for a different automaker, Toyota has an interest is seeing that its supply chain is solid, said John Jacinto, Vistech's chief executive.
"The more (automakers) and Tier 1s we supply, the stronger we become," Jacinto said in an interview. Opportunity Exchange gives small, minority-owned companies a realistic opportunity to be introduced to major Tier 1 suppliers, he added.