Heartland Automotive proves it has what it takes to lead at the forefront of automotive innovation
Driven by innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, Heartland Automotive (Heartland) is supporting the future of automotive evolution. A US subsidiary of Japanese automotive trim and technology provider, Shigeru Co., Ltd , Heartland has provided functional interior and exterior vehicle parts and trims to the global automotive market for almost 40 years. The company entered the US market in 1987 under its partnership with Subaru and commenced its manufacturing operations two years later in Greencastle, Indiana. Since then, Heartland has evolved to deliver full-service integration to its customers, supplying them with not only the part they need, but also with dedicated, high-quality support.
Today, Heartland boasts two state-of-the-art production facilities in Greencastle and Lafayette, Indiana, and is recognized across the US automotive industry for its wide range of advanced components and modules and its comprehensive scope of capabilities. Championing sleek, sophisticated design, the company now offers a vast catalog of parts, from interior door trims, consoles, and instrument panels through to exterior side sills and garnishes, spoilers, and mud guards – all manufactured to the highest quality.
Excellence and innovation
In recent years, however, the global automotive industry has undergone an evolutionary shift. Regulatory changes have imposed greater pressure on automakers to adhere to higher sustainability standards, further driving the rise of electrification within the industry. With more EVs on roads than ever before, it’s essential that automakers are quick to adapt and offer fast iteration to keep up with the increased demand. Manufacturing Today sits down with Ronan Miot, Executive Vice President at Heartland, to learn more about how the company’s approach to process and innovation keeps it one step ahead of the competition amidst current industry changes.
“The automotive industry is currently in a transitional period where there’s a lot of mandate to reduce CO2 emissions, so vehicular design, from a technical standpoint, has had to evolve quite rapidly,” Ronan begins. “Whilst we’re not directly impacted, we need to support our customers by making sure that we can meet those requirements and remain flexible and fast to market. For instance, we have to cut down our development timing from four-to-five years to 24-28 months, which is a great change for everybody and will help us to be more competitive for our customers.”
One of Heartland’s most defining qualities is its perpetual focus on improvement, whether that’s through its production operations, internal processes, or service offerings. Supported by its parent company, Heartland is constantly investing in new technologies and automations to further support its client base, whilst being proudly ISO 14001-certified. Investing in technology goes in pair with the investment in the workforce. Monozukuri, craftmanship, is a key competitive differentiator that is developed and sustained by Heartland’s team members. Such certifications and investments are just a few examples of Heartland’s commitment to excellence and innovation – two qualities that permeate every facet of its operations.
“When it comes to innovation, we do our own research; we benchmark others, meet with technology partners, and see where we can team up with them. Right now, we’re investigating new tools and software, such as AI, to help us be faster and more efficient. With our parent company based in Japan, we’re able to access different global perspectives and learn from each other,” Ronan explains. “We work closely with our partners to understand their guidelines. From a production standpoint, this starts right at the design process by selecting sustainable materials that can make an impact. Since we have to use a lot of plastic, we’re always searching to find the best environmentally friendly materials to use that also improve the overall life cycle of our products. We’re working on automation that can be flexible for multiple product lines and evolve for the future. We’re always having to come up with new technology with our partners, so we research what’s available and how we can integrate it into a product line.
“Regarding the process itself, we look at how we can be more energy efficient with our equipment. For example, we’ve recently invested in one new piece of equipment that will replace four or five other lines, so, whilst it’s a bigger piece of equipment, it will be much more efficient and impactful in terms of our energy use.”
The Quality Circle
This commitment to innovation runs deeper than Heartland’s day-to-day operations. Fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture, the company’s ethos is centered around the notion that “continuous improvement starts from within”, or, at its core, ‘The Quality Circle’. Heartland’s ‘Quality Circle’ is a manifestation of its PDCA cycle – a comprehensive, hands-on methodology that empowers teamwork, accountability, and action to drive real impact.
Ronan elaborates: “At our core, we’re focused on continuous improvement and collaboration. We have a PDCA cycle in place, which stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act; it’s a tool that we instill into all of our team members to help us to work together. We conduct safety and quality briefings to help everybody be aware of the environment that they are in and what they can contribute as an individual.”
With robust structures in place and a continuous focus on innovation, Heartland Automotive is well-positioned for many more decades of success. Backed by Shigeru and powered by its own excellence, the company is cementing its position as a true market leader and upholding its stellar reputation. A business built for the future; Heartland will continue to redefine what it really means to be a true partner to the automotive industry.
“Our main target for 2026 is to ensure that we remain competitive. Despite market fluctuations, our base is very strong, and so next year is going to really lay the foundation for the next wave of changes and product lines that will be implemented,” Ronan affirms.
“Our vision for the next three-to-five years is to become a manufacturer of choice,” he concludes, homing in on Heartland’s ultimate mission. “We may be a relatively small company in the automotive world, but we want to be known for not only providing good products, but great innovation.”