Michigan’s Pitch
Michigan has made a concerted effort to attract Chinese manufacturing and other industry. Snyder has made five trips to China since becoming governor in 2011. Between January of that year and this November, 23 Chinese companies have invested in Michigan, creating 3,541 jobs and investing $649.5 million in 11 cities, according to Kathy Achtenberg, spokeswoman for the state economic development corporation.
Among the companies is Zhongding USA Cadillac, which announced in August it was expanding its manufacturing facility in Cadillac, Michigan, and creating 125 jobs. The company is getting into the heavy truck and agriculture equipment business.
Karma Automotive LLC, which makes luxury hybrid vehicles, announced in June it will establish an automotive engineering and purchasing hub in Troy to house operations supporting its California-based supply chain activities and automotive production. The project is expected to generate more than $3.6 million and create up to 150 jobs.
During a trip there last year, Snyder signed cooperative agreements aimed at promoting bilateral trade and investment with the Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan, Hubei and Zhejiang, as well as the city of Chongqing. Those regions have many auto companies and related suppliers, the governor’s office said, making them a natural fit for Michigan.
In May, the Michigan Strategic Fund board, part of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., approved a $5 million grant to help lure Chinese investment in the state, including setting up the Michigan-China Innovation Center in Detroit. The head of the center, Brian Connors, brags that Michigan is among the top destinations for Chinese companies among the 50 states, which he attributes to the presence of U.S. automobile companies in the state.
"People come from all over the globe for our R and D and purchasing decisions, because we are the headquarters for so many of the suppliers," he said.
Indianapolis has lost 50,000 manufacturing jobs in the past 25 years, according to Ashley Elrod, the city’s program director for economic development. "When you hear [political speeches] about Carrier picking up and moving to Mexico … that was a loss just this year in Indianapolis," she said. Carrier, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning firm, announced in February it was abandoning Indianapolis, eliminating 1,400 jobs.
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