Everything you need to know about Michigan in seven words
Michigan has always been on the forefront of invention and progress. As the birthplace of the automotive industry, the state revolutionized advanced manufacturing. Businesses choose Michigan for its talented workforce, business-friendly environment, manufacturing and mobility expertise, and density of research and development expertise. Following are just some of the reasons why Michigan is the home for Pure Opportunity.
Progress
Michigan’s comeback story is legendary. Behind this economic prosperity is a state hard at work to ensure its continued growth and sustainability. Investing in Michigan is a smart choice thanks, in part, to the state’s business-friendly climate and favorable tax structure. Through a wide variety of programs and resources, Michigan also offers customized incentive packages for business attraction opportunities that create jobs and new investment.
Detroit is experiencing a resurgence that the rest of the country marvels. The city represents Michigan’s global leadership in the automotive industry while also serving as the home for automakers, suppliers and high-tech startups advancing the global mobility industry.
Success stories abound. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is investing $4.5 billion and creating more than 6,400 jobs to build a new automotive assembly plant in Detroit and add to its production at five existing Michigan facilities – the first new automotive assembly plant built in Detroit in three decades.
Meanwhile, Ford is investing in the historical Michigan Central Station, a 105-year-old former train station, located in the Corktown neighborhood of Detroit. Previously a former symbol of the city’s decline, the station now represents growth and renewal. The company and its partners will develop autonomous and electric vehicles and design mobility services and solutions for urban environments. The project is expected to generate a total private investment of $740 million and bring 2,500 jobs directly with Ford, and an additional 2,500 jobs with Ford’s partners and suppliers.
Partnerships
Michigan is dedicated to developing and maintaining public-private partnerships that drive economic growth and innovation. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) facilitates collaboration, not only with more than 100 economic development partners across the state, but also with industry, academia, and government to make doing business in Michigan efficient and fast.
With access to a vast and diverse supplier and startup network that can meet and fulfill critical supply chain or market entry gaps, Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) assists businesses in making new strategic connections across the state and around the world. To date, PMBC has facilitated more than $9 billion in new contracts.
There are synergies that happen across the state that drive economic progress. MEDC’s PlanetM initiative is built on a strong foundation of collaboration. It represents the state’s diverse mobility ecosystem and is made up of mobility companies, communities, educational institutions, R&D groups, startups, investors and government agencies that have come together to advance a shared objective: to make the state the global leader of the next generation of mobility.
People
The availability of talent is the key factor for businesses evaluating where to locate or expand. Michigan has one of the most talented, diverse and abundant workforces in the U.S. – and resources that ensure new talent is always in the pipeline.
With the largest concentration of engineering talent in the U.S., a skilled trades workforce that consistently ranks in the top 10 nationally, along with many nationally recognized and accredited universities, Michigan has the skilled workforce and research expertise to drive generations of industry innovation.
In October 2018, Silicon Valley-based KLA Corporation chose Ann Arbor, Michigan to build its R&D semiconductor research center because of the rich talent base and affordable cost of living. This catalytic project is expected to generate a total private investment of more than $150 million and create 600 jobs over the next five years.
Michigan is already working to both anticipate and fill the skills gaps that exist in our talent pipeline via programs like MI Opportunity — offering qualifying high school seniors with either two years of tuition-free postsecondary education at a community college or tuition assistance at a four-year institution — and MI Reconnect – creating a tuition-free pathway for Michiganders to receive in-demand industry certificates or associate degrees.
Place
Today’s skilled talent is choosing Michigan not only because of its employment opportunities, but also because of the low cost of living and a lifestyle that is uniquely Michigan. Living in Michigan is a special experience; always within six miles of a body of water, having opportunities to enjoy all four seasons and two peninsulas filled with natural wonders to explore make Michigan stand out among its peers.
Lifestyle also involves the opportunity to live in a vibrant, diverse and sustainable community full of lively businesses, amenities and attractions to enjoy. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) offers programs and resources that support community growth and provide communities technical assistance and programming that they would not otherwise have access to.
As a key entry point for the North American market, Michigan is home to 18 commercial airports and numerous international crossings with Canada, offering various channels for businesses to move goods throughout the state, country and world.
MEDC helps support communities in developing their main streets and downtown corridors in part through business attraction efforts such as the Michigan Main Street (MMS) program, which focuses on economic vitality, design, organization and promotion efforts to help interested communities in revitalizing and preserving their traditional commercial district.
Potential
In an ongoing effort to expand Michigan’s economic development toolkit, MEDC launched the new Michigan Site Readiness Improvement program in April 2019 aimed at boosting Michigan’s inventory of high-quality, readily available properties ready to compete for business attraction projects.
In August, 45 industrial sites representing 31 counties in Michigan were awarded $3.3 million in site readiness grants. Awarded through the new competitive Michigan Build Ready Sites program, the targeted grant program of the Site Readiness Improvement program. All communities involved in the Michigan Build Ready Sites program will receive assistance with the development or enhancement of industrial sites to help them get closer to having Vetted Site Standards and make them more competitive during the site selection process.
Priorities
MEDC has recently launched a new five-year strategic plan to ensure sustainable, long-term economic growth by continuing to invest in communities, enable the growth of good jobs and promote Michigan’s strong image worldwide.
The strategic plan includes an enhanced focus on six key industries where Michigan has a clear competitive advantage: mobility and automotive manufacturing; engineering, design and development; advanced manufacturing; medical device technology; professional and corporate services; and technology. Of course, the state will continue to support its vital regional impact industries like agribusiness, tourism, logistics, financial services and other manufacturing.
Pure (Michigan)
Pure Michigan is your destination for Pure Opportunity. Visit michiganbusiness.org to learn more about doing business in Michigan. And while you’re there you can discover the many reasons to live, work and enjoy Pure Michigan.
