420 jobs for Imlay Twp.

Texas-based company coming to old Champion Bus

 

IMLAY TWP. — Township officials received exciting news last week when an out-of-state company announced they intend to move their operations to the former Champion Bus facility located at 331 Graham Rd.

According to the website of the company, Veptos, workers assemble, repair, retrofit and modify military armored vehicles including Humvees, cargo trucks, tanks and fuel tankers for foreign governments of allies of the United States wanting to expand fleet capacities while doing the work at a more economical cost.

The facility on Graham Road, which closed in December, 2021 after operating for 40 years, has been considered by Veptos for several months, according to county officials. The location has approx. 190,000 square feet on 73 acres.

In February 2010, a devastating fire damaged a large portion of the facility’s north manufacturing building. When the company decided to rebuild and put a 90,000 square foot addition onto the south manufacturing plant, they applied for and received an industrial facilities tax (IFT) exemption from Imlay Twp.

The new project by Veptos is expected to create roughly 420 new jobs with a total investment of nearly $20 million. It’s estimated starting wages for the project will be $21 an hour plus benefits, which is above the regional median wage of $20.61 per hour.

In addition, the company offers internal training for all welding, general automotive mechanics, and vehicle painting, as well as industry certification for welding – so employees who start with the company can stay and grow with it.

In production since 2010, Veptos was acquired by Richard Najarian, president of Precision Global Solutions (in Troy, Mich.), in 2024. He will acquire the former bus manufacturing facility with the help of a $5 million Michigan Business Development Program (MBDP) performance-based grant approved by the MSF Board. Funds will be used to help with relocation costs. The relocation is being considered due to the company actively negotiating roughly $80,000,000 in new contracts.

In addition, Veptos plans to construct an additional 5,000 square-foot building on the Champion Bus property for concept vehicle research and development.

According to Lapeer Development Corporation Executive Director, Sam Moore, company officials have said they have a strong desire to hire former Champion Bus employees that might still be in the area and want to come back to the facility.

Late last week, Michigan Economic Development Corporation said in a press release, “The Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board approved two projects investing nearly $60 million combined between Imlay City (Lapeer County) and Holland (Allegan County) and creating over 460 jobs.

Imlay Twp. Supervisor Rick Farkas said, “I am very excited. 420 jobs is huge for the township and surrounding communities. Many of these jobs will be skilled trades such as welding and automotive and most training will be offered by Veptos in house, even certifying some of the skilled trades.”

He added, “An investment of this magnitude will set the stage for further development throughout the industrial corridor and the community as a whole. This has taken a lot of time and effort to put all of this together. I would like to thank Sam Moore from the Lapeer Development Corporation (LDC) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) for coming together to help make this happen.”

Veptos, located in New Boston, Texas, will shift its headquarters to Imlay Township and breathe new life into the vacant Champion Bus complex.

On July 29, the MEDC’s Michigan Strategic Fund board awarded a $5-million grant to Veptos to help offset relocation costs for the company’s move to Michigan.

Moore felt the former Champion Bus facility would be an ideal fit for Veptos’ operations while giving the Imlay Township/Imlay City area a considerable financial boost.

“When I first learned of this potential, I remember saying, “Have I got the place for you!” Moore recalled. “There has been a lot of work and boots on the ground trying to put the project together,” he said. “Imlay Township has gone above and beyond to try to bring this expansion to Lapeer County, as it would create new jobs and improve its tax base.”

According to Moore, a number of meetings were held at the township hall.

“They were great to work with and offered a place to have all those parties involved sit down at the table in one room. It was a great collaborative effort, for sure.”

Moore said he expects to see activity on the property later this year and in to 2026.

He was not sure of a timeline for starting the hiring process.

“They’re anxious to get up here and get things going,” Moore said. “They’ve toured the facility and they like the proximity to the I-69 corridor.”

Veptos, who is world renowned for reimagining what’s possible in armored vehicle engineering, tactical mobility systems, and defense-grade powertrains – is currently entirely based in Texas, and their relocation to Michigan sends a powerful message that Michigan is ready to power the next generation of defense-tech giants through its talent, supply chain and industry growth.

Otie McKinley, media and communications manager for the MEDC, said the project aligns with the MEDC’s strategic focus area of supporting a business in the target industry of aerospace and defense.

“This deal marks a major step forward as we kick off new military programs in support of the U.S. Department of Defense and our allies across the globe,” said Richard Najarian, Managing Director of Veptos.

“The facility brings Veptos’ full production capabilities to Michigan—supporting everything from our Tactimod reset programs to next-gen defense systems, armored platforms, and hybrid propulsion tech. Michigan blew us away with its deep talent, unmatched infrastructure and motor spirit. It’s exactly where we need to be to execute at scale and meet the unprecedented demands shaping today’s global defense landscape.”

“This investment underscores the strength of our advanced manufacturing and defense ecosystem,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership. “Our region’s world-class talent, strategic location, and deep automotive and mobility expertise make it the ideal place for companies like Veptos to scale and deliver innovative next-generation vehicle solutions.”