MiMfg Magazine September 2019 | Page 24

24 MiMfg Magazine September 2019 MFG @ Work What’s Happening in Michigan Manufacturing credit: Ford Motor Company Michigan Claims Top 10 Status, #1 in Automotive MFG Strength The 15 th annual Business Facilities Rankings Report was released this summer and Michigan again ranked among the top 10 states in the nation for cyber security growth potential, manufacturing workforce, opportunity zones, and technology job growth as well as the national leader for automotive manufacturing strength. The Business Facilities’ Ranking Report looks at solid metrics and uses high-level evaluation to determine who’s ahead of the curve. In recent years, Michigan has remained a leader across all manufacturing-related categories and is the undisputed leader for automotive manufacturing. “Michigan has elevated its reputation as a national leader for creating a 21st-century economy driven by technology and innovation,” said Jeff Mason, CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. “We are attracting new jobs and investments each day and are well-positioned to compete on the national and global level for business attraction.” The Great Lakes State also ranked fourth in manufacturing employment as companies like FCA U.S. and others commit billions in statewide investment toward new jobs and new product development opportunities. Ford opened a new information center in Corktown to share information about their new development and facilitate engagement with the community. Ford’s Corktown Renovation Gains National Recognition, 5K Jobs Expected Ford Motor Company’s effort to renovate the historic Michigan Central Station Depot and several surrounding buildings in Corktown received national attention as the Detroit automaker became one of a handful of U.S. businesses to receive Trade & Industry Development’s coveted 2019 CiCi Award for job creation and corporate investment. Through partnerships with Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, City of Detroit and an overall investment of $740 million, Ford is working Got Good News? Share your company’s photos, press releases and good news with MMA and see it published here, through our social media channels or on mimfg.org . Send to MMA’s Brett Gerrish at [email protected]. to finish a 1.2 million-square-foot area campus and mobility hub. The company is also dedicating 300,000 square feet toward a mix of community and commercial space and residential housing. “Michigan Central Station is a place that in many ways tells the story of Detroit over the past century,” said Bill Ford, the company’s executive chairman. “We at Ford want to help write the next chapter, working together in Corktown with the best startups, the smartest talent and the thinkers, engineers and problem-solvers who see things differently — all to shape the future of mobility and transportation.” The project is expected to be completed in 2022 and will bring with it 5,000 direct jobs and as many as another 5,000 indirect and/or temporary jobs. With resources to be dedicated toward the development of autonomous and electric vehicles, urban mobility services and solutions for connected vehicles, public transit and infrastructure, Ford estimates a $15.6 billion economic output for the area between 2022-2031.