Wayne County is continuing to redefine itself as the place in the State of Michigan for doing business. By forging strategic partnerships with both the private sector and its local units of government, we are able to deliver a first class product to first class companies.
Last month, we were proud to announce that
General Electric had chosen Wayne County as the location for its new $100 million
Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center (AMSTC) in Van Buren Township, right in the middle of the
Aerotropolis. This announcement came after weeks of working with GE officials to craft the most aggressive incentive package available in Southeast Michigan for the construction of this Center.
The AMSTC will include a GE research and development facility that will be a part of GE's
Global Research network. The facility will house scientists and engineers who will develop next generation manufacturing technologies for GE's renewable energy and other high-technology products. The AMSTC will also house GE experts in software development and business intelligence. They will work to develop software that will support GE's business operations for several advanced technologies, such as the development of a smart grid. The Center is set to create nearly 1,200 jobs that pay an average of $100,000 per year.
One of the highest priorities for
General Electric to locate in
Wayne County was making sure that government could expedite resolutions to a series of governmental issues – everything from zoning to grant applications to construction permits. We teamed up with
Van Buren Township, one of our Aerotropolis partners, to work to implement a very aggressive timeline proposed by GE. Thanks to this partnership, GE will be able to break ground at the Village of Van Buren within 21 days from site plan submittal.
Our actions demonstrate that we want your business and we are committed to serving your business. Our collaboration with Van Buren models what the
Aerotropolis communities are hoping to achieve in their respective development zones. Airports are the rivers of the future, and economic development is all about speed, speed, and speed. Our work with Van Buren demonstrates the speed with which new development is possible in Wayne County, and how government and private investors can work together for the greater good. Just as Silicon Valley had Hewlett-Packard, the Aerotropolis has General Electric. I am confident it will be an cornerstone to new development in the Aerotropolis, attracting suppliers and other spin-off clean technology companies.
GE is also teaming up with advanced lithium-ion battery manufacturer
A123Systems. As you may be aware, A123 just recently established its
Center of Energy Excellence in Wayne County, where it will develop, prototype, and assemble battery cells and battery packs for Chrysler's line of electric and hybrid vehicles. And this came on the heels of Ford Motor Company's announcement that it was spending $550 million to retool its Wayne plant to build the European version of the Focus, as well as the electric Focus in 2011.
As my administration and
Wayne County EDGE continue to work with several multi-national battery manufacturers and alternative energy companies, it is clear that Wayne County is poised to become the world's International Capital of Energy Excellence (ICEE). We are laying the framework for a future that will bring deep economic rewards via job growth and economic diversity. A transformation of our economy has already begun, based on new manufacturing technology, new growth industries, and a new way of doing business, and this transformation will continue to gain momentum in the months ahead.
For more information about jobs that are specific to GE's Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Center, please visit
www.ge.com/amstc.
Robert A. Ficano is the CEO of Wayne County.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.