Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Announces Michigan Strategic Fund Projects Supporting Hundreds of Jobs and Water Infrastructure

• Support for Ford’s continued growth and creation of 450 additional jobs underscores Michigan’s ongoing leadership in advanced mobility and manufacturing • New biopharmaceutical Center of Excellence facility to bring 160 high-wage jobs to Ann Arbor, further strengthening Michigan’s life sciences and professional services industries • Grants awarded to 11 communities around Michigan to make vital, water-related infrastructure improvements, improve quality of life for residents

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation today in announcing Michigan Strategic Fund approval of projects that include crucial support for Ford’s continued investment in electric vehicles in Michigan, a biopharmaceutical facility in Ann Arbor creating 160 jobs, and $14.9 million in grants to 11 communities around the state to support infrastructure improvements.

“We are focused on growing Michigan’s economy by creating good jobs for our residents, building on our state’s automotive manufacturing strengths, supporting vibrant communities, and continuing to promote Michigan as a premiere place to live, work, visit, and play,” said Governor Whitmer. “Today’s MSF projects and initiatives create hundreds of jobs, fix critical water infrastructure, and expand on our leadership in the future of mobility and electric vehicles. Together, we can build back our economy stronger than ever before.”

Support for Ford’s continued commitment to vehicle electrification underscores Michigan’s leadership in advanced mobility and manufacturing

Since December 2019, Ford Motor Company has announced nearly $2.5 billion in investment in Michigan, largely around electric and autonomous vehicle manufacturing, supporting more than 3,700 new jobs for Michigan’s manufacturing workforce.

Ford has recently announced plans to invest an additional approximately $250 million and add 450 more direct jobs across all three of its Michigan facilities in Dearborn, Ypsilanti, and Sterling Heights, increasing its production capacity to 80,000 trucks a year. This includes an expansion at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center (REVC), where the first F-150 Lightning pre-production trucks are leaving the factory for real-world testing.

The project builds on Ford’s ongoing commitment to electrifying the future of mobility in Michigan, with the Ford Ion Park announced in Romulus this past July, and its transformation of the historic Michigan Central Station into an innovation hub for the company’s future of transportation.

The investment at REVC will further expand Ford’s electric vehicle manufacturing footprint in Michigan and create an extended ripple effect across the supply chain in the state. The project continues to solidify Michigan’s reputation around the world as an electrification, mobility and automotive leader for generations to come.

To support this investment, the MSF has approved an amendment to Ford’s existing REVC State Essential Services Assessment (SESA) exemption, increasing the qualified investment from $140 million to $265 million. By amending the qualified investment amount, the value of the SESA exemption will increase from $3,185,000 to $6,078,750.

New state-of-the-art Center of Excellence facility in Ann Arbor builds on Michigan’s globally renowned life sciences sector

German company Sartorius BioAnalytical Instruments, Inc. is a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry. The company works with scientists and engineers around the world to quickly and safely develop and manufacture medications from the first idea to patient use. The company currently has 130 employees located at four sites in Washtenaw County and expects to create an additional 160 high-wage jobs with this project.

Sartorius plans to construct a Center of Excellence facility in Ann Arbor that will house lab processing services, manufacturing and assembly of highly technical instruments, reagents, research and development, marketing, human resources, accounting, training, customer visit center and more. The facility will consolidate existing business operations in Washtenaw County into the facility, a project that will generate a total capital investment of $57 million with the support of a $1.2 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over competing sites in Colorado and New York.

The project further strengthens Michigan’s life sciences and professional services industries and will bring high-wage, high-skill jobs to area residents in a variety of positions including biomedical engineers, biological scientists, first-line supervisors, business operations specialists, among others.

Ensuring Michigan was chosen as the location for the Center of Excellence secures company’s presence in the Ann Arbor region and supports the potential for future growth and investment. The company believes strongly in promoting from within and plans to work with Michigan Works! and Ann Arbor SPARK to reach local talent in disadvantaged areas.

“The new facility will consolidate existing business operations in Washtenaw County to create a center of excellence in Ann Arbor for the Laboratory and Bioprocess Products and Services in North America, which focus on providing innovative solutions to help customers develop drugs that cure, prevent, and halt the progression of diseases,” said Mary Lavin, President of Sartorius North America.

The city of Ann Arbor has been working with the Michigan Department of Transportation on an application to the Transportation Economic Development Fund that would provide critical road improvements needed to support the development. The city also plans to consider a Brownfield TIF Work Plan and approval of a property tax abatement in support of the project.

Individuals interested in careers with Sartorius should visit https://www.sartorius.com/en/company/career.

“The staff at Ann Arbor SPARK has worked incredibly hard to bring this opportunity to the city of Ann Arbor and we thank the MEDC, the Michigan Strategic Fund, and Governor Whitmer for approving the business development grant in support of Sartorius’s new facility,” Paul Krutko, president and CEO of Ann Arbor SPARK said. “The work to help Sartorius expand in Ann Arbor shows that when state and local partners work together, the community benefits, and that it takes this type of collaboration to ensure jobs and investment come to Ann Arbor over competing sites.”

Infrastructure grants will assist Michigan communities in making much-needed improvements

The Michigan Strategic Fund also approved $14.9 million in Community Development Block Grant Water-Related Infrastructure (WRI) grants for 11 communities to make water-related infrastructure improvements. The purpose of the program is to accelerate economic development and assist low- and moderate-income communities in making improvements or upgrades to their existing water, sewer, and wastewater public infrastructure systems. Communities will use the grants to improve or replace water lines, water mains and related facilities, and sanitary and storm sewer lines and related facilities.

The communities receiving grants are:

• Bangor
• Escanaba
• Fowlerville
• Hart
• Hartford
• Houghton
• Middleville
• Morenci
• Rogers City
• Shelby
• West Branch

In addition, MSF approved up to $550,000 in CDBG funds to provide administrative services to assist the communities with the compliance and administrative requirements of the awards.

MEDC continues to lead efforts to elevate Michigan’s image as a premiere business location

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation continues to promote Michigan as a world-class business and travel destination – and connect Michigan businesses, entrepreneurs and communities to needed services – through compelling storytelling and sophisticated marketing campaigns. Today, the MSF Board approved a business marketing services contract with communications firm Lambert/9thWonder to support the growth of Michigan businesses and the attraction of new businesses to the state.

To read the full press release on contracts awarded for Michigan business and travel marketing, visit here.

“We are working hard every day to win the projects that will propel Michigan’s economic recovery and momentum and be felt throughout every single region and community within the state,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., CEO of the MEDC and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “From creating good-paying jobs and leading the world in electric vehicle development and manufacturing, to building on our globally renowned life sciences sector, to supporting our communities and promoting Michigan as a world-class travel destination and business location, the actions taken today underscore our commitment to making Michigan the No. 1 four-season state in North America for both business and travel opportunities.”

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.