On February 9, a festive crowd gathered on Mare Island for a ribbon cutting, celebrating Vallejo's newest business, dropping its anchor in Vallejo, Kindred Motorworks. Kindred Motorworks, originally from San Rafael, chose to invest in Vallejo, positioning itself for continued growth and success in the industry of classic car restoration. The company's new space consists of a fully rehabilitated 100,000-squarefoot production facility, which is nearing completion and will support Kindred through its expansion phase, which will take it from a startup to a national leader in the industry. Its founder Rob Howard spoke about the rich history of Mare Island, its buildings' reuse opportunities, and being in line with the value of linkages between the old and the new, which Kindred similarly embraces. Vallejo Mayor Robert H. McConnell was present to tour the facility and shared his sentiments, "the City is highly appreciative of Kindred Motorworks bringing their innovative technologies to Mare Island while respecting the
long-established tradition of excellence. Kindred Motorworks is a great blending of the past and the future." The Kindred facility reflects the firm's innovative spirit around electric vehicle manufacturing and automation. It will house the various tools and trades to streamline the restoration and modernization of vintage cars. The blueprint-based process will allow Kindred to restore a car in less than half the time it takes most restoration shops while incorporating more modern technology. Paint, bodywork, upholstery, and machining will all be done out of the facility, offering hundreds of high-quality manufacturing jobs with a career track and upward mobility opportunities. The facility will also serve as its headquarters for business operations. It will enhance the existing ecosystem of innovative businesses on Mare Island, such as Factory OS and Earthquake Protection Systems. Kindred is unique in its approach to restoring and redesigning vintage vehicles. Safety and sustainability are at the forefront of what Kindred does. Their process includes carefully handpicking cars, trucks, or SUVs, tearing them down, and mapping every inch for restoration.
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Business Highlight: Classic Car Business Opens on Mare Island
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