In an effort to “strengthen its product line-up and support future growth,” Denso has invested nearly $53.6 million in its Battle Creek, Mich., facility.

The investment is part of Denso’s 2013 goal of investing more than $1 billion in North America over four years.

Denso has purchased two additional buildings, increasing its footprint to more than 1.3 million square feet for manufacturing, warehousing and product testing. Additionally, the company has hired more than 100 new employees.

The investment allows Denso to develop new manufacturing lines for advanced thermal systems, add additional labs for new product testing and validation, and expand logistics and packaging operations, the company said.