The Michigan Strategic Fund closes out 2023 with investments that support and grow businesses and communities across Michigan

LANSING, Mich.—Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to announce Michigan Strategic Fund approval of a wide range of projects that, in total, will create or retain 956 jobs and generate nearly $253 million in investment in Michigan.

“Today’s projects will create or retain nearly 1,000 jobs and drive more than $250 million of investment in Michigan, building on our leadership in the future mobility industry and fostering strong economic opportunities for our communities,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office, we have secured tens of thousands of auto jobs, won projects from other states and nations, and taken action to build on our momentum. Let’s keep working together to deliver on the priorities that make a real difference in people’s lives so anyone can ‘make it’ in Michigan.”

Scout Motors Inc., headquartered in Tysons, Virginia, plans to establish a new research and development facility in the city of Novi, which will serve as a hub for future innovation and development for the auto industry within the U.S. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $11 million and create 200 high-wage jobs with the support of a $10 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the expansion over competing sites in several Southern states because of the strength of the automotive engineering talent in the state.

Read the full press release on Scout’s new R&D facility in Michigan. Learn more about careers with Scout Motors.

Investments in Holland signal continued growth in region’s high-tech EV, medical devices industries

ATC Drivetrain, Inc., plans to consolidate its Center of Excellence at a newly constructed facility in the city of Holland that will include space for battery remanufacturing, electric drive unit remanufacturing, electronics remanufacturing, and batter second life applications. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $7.9 million and create 163 jobs with the support of a $2 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

ATC Drivetrain is a Farmington Hills, Michigan-based company providing environmentally friendly remanufacturing solutions for powertrain and drivetrain products regardless of the technology powering the vehicle. This includes batteries, electric drive units, engines, transmissions and other driveline products. ATC also offers engineering services that include warranty root cause analysis and testing, quality audits, production rework and recycling. ATC serves the global automotive and commercial vehicle industries from its facilities in the USA, United Kingdom, Germany and China.

This project supports the state’s work to position itself as the global leader in automotive manufacturing and will bring immediate job growth to West Michigan with an expanding auto supplier. It will also support ATC Drivetrain’s presence and future growth in the state.

“ATC’s growth and expansion is a testament to our commitment to innovation, sustainability and customer focus,” said George Kostopoulos, Vice President of Global Sales & Marketing at ATC Drivetrain. “We’ve evolved our focus in recent years to align with the changing landscape of the automotive industry. Our new facility in Holland, Michigan, along with other strategic investments, exemplifies our dedication to driving positive change and embracing the electrified future.”

The city of Holland has offered a property tax abatement in support of the project. Learn more about careers with ATC Drivetrain.

hg medical is a market-leading end-to-end contract manufacturer of highly complex orthopedic implants for the extremities and spinal sectors. It focuses on innovative systems pushing the boundaries of subtractive manufacturing technologies and advancing the possibilities for developing implantable devices. With existing facilities in Germany and the USA, the company has built a strong reputation for its deep engineering expertise in its core segment, high-quality manufacturing, and exceptional customer service. With its team of experienced engineers and technicians, hg medical offers a comprehensive range of services, including design for manufacture and development, prototyping, validation, and production of complex, high-quality implants.

hg medical has experienced significant growth since its positioning in North America and plans to double its organizational capacity with additional expansion of its U.S. manufacturing in the city of Holland. The company will establish a new world-class manufacturing facility in the former JCI facility to manufacture orthopedic extremity implants.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $41 million and create 180 jobs, including highly skilled engineering professionals, technicians, and administrative workers, with the support of a $1.8 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the expansion over competing sites in Indiana, Minnesota, and Tennessee for the quality of its workforce.

The project will bring nearly 200 good-paying jobs and will significantly impact West Michigan’s growing life sciences and medical devices sector. It will also support the company’s future presence and investment in the state.

The Michigan Strategic Fund also approved a five-year State Essential Services Assessment exemption valued at $237,840 to support the project. The city of Holland anticipates approval of a property tax abatement in support of the project. In addition, West Michigan Works! plans to assist the project through workforce development support. Learn about careers with hg medical here.

As the proud home to 275 medical device and life sciences firms, from household industry names such as Pfizer and Stryker to upstarts like Tetra Therapeutics, Michigan is among the top 10 in the nation for medical device manufacturing companies.

Norm Fasteners Co., plans to construct a new manufacturing facility in Bath Charter Township, where it will manufacture externally threaded fasteners.

The company, established in 2018 in Lansing, is a subsidiary of Norm Holdings A.S. of Turkey and is a leading manufacturer of various connectors from bolts to fasteners, and has also diversified into machines, logistics, high-quality parts, and marketing services. Norm Fasteners imports fasteners from its parent company and distributes them to customers in the automotive including heavy duty trucks, agriculture, electronics, housing and furniture industries in North America.

The project represents the parent company’s first manufacturing facility in the U.S. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $77 million and create 200 well-paying jobs with the support of a $1.6 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The company currently employs 18 individuals in Michigan, with the state chosen for this expansion over competing sites in Ohio, Texas, Canada and Mexico as a result of our strong automotive OEM and auto supplier presence.

“Norm Fasteners Co., is looking forward to working with LEAP, MEDC, local organizations and officials on our expansion plans,” said Norm Fasteners USA Business Unit Director Koray Gurbuz. “We appreciate the opportunity to land our first manufacturing investment outside our home country, in Bath Charter Township in Michigan. We are grateful to see that our goals are being recognized and supported by the local community. We are committed to sustainability and eager to grow into an important player in Michigan’s EV supply chain.”

The project will bring immediate, high-wage jobs with a large and growing manufacturer and boosts the state’s work to position itself as the global leader in the future of mobility, and will solidify the company’s presence and future business in the state.

Bath Charter Township anticipates approval of a property tax abatement in support of the project. Norm Fasteners has selected Dymaxion Development of Lansing as the development partner on the project. For information on careers with Norm Fasteners, visit https://normholding.com/en/.

WK Kellogg Co expansion in Battle Creek will retain 170, create 43 high-wage jobs, boost state’s agribusiness industry

WK Kellogg Co was established in 2023 as a standalone company, resulting from the separation of the former Kellogg Company into two separate entities, Kellanova and WK Kellogg Co. WK Kellogg Co is focused on its founder’s original business – ready-to-eat cereal. The company employs approximately 750 employees – nearly one-third of its total North America employee base – in Michigan and will continue to be headquartered in Battle Creek, where it has spent the past 117 years as Kellogg Company.

In 2021, Kellogg Company announced that by the end of 2023, it would move production of some of its Battle Creek cereal plant volume to its cereal production facility in Ontario, CA. This project would have idled two of the three lines currently operating in Battle Creek.

Recently, WK Kellogg Co leaders decided to retain that volume at its Battle Creek facility, where the company will drive efficiency through investment in more modern technology, as well as train employees in high performing work systems, making them more competitive in their manufacturing network. These changes will result in the retention of approximately 170 jobs in Battle Creek and – along with the partnership and support of the state and city of Battle Creek – help to position the plant for future investment and potential growth.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of at least $44 million and create at least 43 new high-paying jobs – in addition to the 170 roles being retained – with the support of a $5 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The Michigan Strategic Fund also approved a 15-year MSF Designated Renaissance Zone in support of the project.

“We are pleased to maintain cereal production in Battle Creek, the Michigan community where it all began more than a century ago and where it begins again with WK Kellogg Co,” said WK Kellogg Co Chairman and CEO Gary Pilnick. “We are proud to be doing so in partnership with our employees and their union, along with the support of Battle Creek Unlimited, the city of Battle Creek and the state of Michigan.”

In addition to investing in machinery and equipment, the project will include training current employees to enable the high-performing work team model necessary to drive future success. In total, the project will retain and/or create at least 213 jobs, all with wages and health care benefits that are among the best in Michigan manufacturing.

In addition to the state grant, the Battle Creek City Commission approved, and Mayor Mark Behnke signed, the application for the Renaissance Zone and Battle Creek Unlimited has offered a $250,000 grant in support of the project.

Historic building in downtown Owosso to be renovated into mixed-use development, add vibrancy and needed housing to the community

Woodworth Investments plans to rehabilitate a historic, three-story building located on the corner of W. Exchange and N. Washington Streets in downtown Owosso into a mixed-use development. When complete, the project will include reactivated commercial space on the first floor and nine residential rental units. The first floor currently houses Fifth Third Bank which will remain as a long-term tenant. The second and third floors will be used for the residential units and common space for the residents. The concrete and masonry façade will also be improved both structurally and aesthetically, bringing it back to national historic preservation standards.