Gov. Whitmer Announces 100 New Jobs and $1 Million Capital Investment from Expansion of Crest Marine in Owosso Charter Township

• Expanded facility will allow the company to meet increased demand for hugely popular pontoon boats • Project underscores Michigan’s leadership in manufacturing, highlights Michigan’s travel and tourism industries

LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined a group of business, state, and local officials today to celebrate the expansion of Crest Marine’s Owosso Charter Township facility, thanking the pontoon manufacturer for investing in Michigan, creating new jobs for Michiganders and highlighting Michigan’s manufacturing industry.

“Michigan’s business climate and highly skilled manufacturing workforce provide an environment where businesses like Crest Marine can grow and thrive, creating good-paying jobs for Michiganders in Shiawassee County,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This is great news for workers, their families, and our economy as we continue our economic jumpstart and put Michigan back to work. With the help of companies like Crest Marine, we can build back our state’s economy stronger than ever.” 

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $1 million and create up to 100 jobs with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Michigan was chosen for the project over competing sites in Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Gov. Whitmer made remarks today at a tour of the company’s manufacturing facility in Owosso Charter Township. The project has been awarded a $425,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Owosso Charter Township has offered a 50-percent property tax abatement in support of the project.

 Crest Marine, LLC, established in 1957, is a pontoon boat manufacturer headquartered in Owosso Charter Township. The company currently has 309 employees at its Owosso location. Crest was acquired by MasterCraft Boat Holdings in October 2018 and plans to expand as part of the parent company’s commitment to continue supporting the brand’s growth trajectory. Crest is looking to grow its production and distribution and plans to expand at its Owosso Charter Township facility to allow for increased capacity and additional equipment.

“Congratulations to the team at Crest Marine on your tremendous growth and success. We appreciate your continued vote of confidence in our state and in our workforce,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., CEO of the MEDC and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “We’re proud to join our partners at the Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership and other local partners as we support the investment by this longstanding Michigan company and look forward to working with them as they continue to grow and add jobs for more of our friends and neighbors.”

The project will bring immediate job growth and will solidify the company’s presence and future growth in Michigan. With this expansion, Crest will be the largest employer in Shiawassee County. Crest is dedicated to becoming one of the highest wage providers in the region and provides entry-level employees with training opportunities to advance into more skilled manufacturing positions. The company has also initiated sponsorship with the local Owosso High School in which high school seniors are allowed to attend technical programs at Baker College to earn associate degrees in skilled trades.

“This is fantastic that the state is recognizing Crest’s efforts to be the employer of choice in Shiawassee County and the ongoing financial commitments made by our parent company, MasterCraft Boat Holdings, to fund our expansion plans,” said Patrick May, President of Crest Marine. “Michigan has been our home for more than 60 years, and we look forward to continuing to invest here while providing excellent employment opportunities to the community.” 

“The Crest comeback is definitely one of Shiawassee County’s best economic success stories. Company leadership helped turn around a business that had been effectively shut down in 2010 and now they are on a path to becoming the largest manufacturer in our county with this announcement,” said Shiawassee Economic Development Partnership President/CEO Justin Horvath. “We are particularly proud of their efforts to attract and retain quality employees through increased compensation, training, and other workforce initiatives. We definitely look forward to their continued growth in Owosso Charter Township.”

In addition to building on Michigan’s manufacturing leadership, the project also highlights Michigan’s travel and tourism industries. Michigan is the third-largest marine market in the country and ranks No. 2 in boat registrations. Boating has a $7.8 billion economic impact on Michigan’s economy each year, supporting more than 40,000 jobs and 1,500 businesses (source: Michigan Boating Industries Association).

“Michigan offers natural beauty that is unrivaled by any other state, and one of the best ways to experience Michigan’s natural wonders is by spending time on the water,” said Dave Lorenz, Vice President of Travel Michigan, part of MEDC. “We’re pleased to celebrate Crest Marine’s expansion in Pure Michigan, and we look forward to partnering with them as we get more Michiganders into boating and experiencing all that boating has to offer.”

Individuals interested in careers with Crest should visit https://crestpontoonboats.com/careers/.

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.