Granholm Announces Assistance to Retain More Than 14,000 Employees at 76 Manufacturing Companies

November 12, 2004

Contact: Paul Krepps, MEDC
(517) 335-4590

Granholm Announces Assistance to Retain More Than 14,000 Employees at 76 Manufacturing Companies
Streamlined Training Process Serves Multiple Employers

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced $1.9 million in Economic Development Job Training (EDJT) grants that will help retain over 14,000 workers at 76 Michigan companies. The grants, provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), will enable workers to receive specialized training through 11 Michigan colleges, universities and community foundations.

The funding is part of the MEDC's new Manufacturing Competitiveness initiative which is designed to help enhance the skills of Michigan's manufacturing workforce and encourage collaboration between regional employers. The program aims to streamline the training process by serving several companies through a single grant to make the best use of state funding.

"Michigan's highly qualified workforce is one of the most attractive assets we have to offer businesses that want to invest here," Granholm said. "Keeping our workers trained in the latest high-tech manufacturing methods is essential to retaining these core jobs and building a strong economic future."

The types of training offered include lean manufacturing, process improvement, quality management subsystems, the Six Sigma measure of quality and other manufacturing-related skills and processes including certification by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The program requires the companies receiving training to provide a 30 percent minimum funding match.

"Many Michigan manufacturers need similar types of ongoing training to keep their workers on the cutting edge," said MEDC President and CEO Don Jakeway. "Offering training through a single provider to multiple companies makes the program more efficient while making the best use of our stretched state resources."

Following is a list of the grantees, amount of funding and companies that will benefit from the training:

Baker College - $190,000
o Advance Turning and Manufacturing; Aerospace Inc; AerTech; C & S Machine; Classic Turning Inc.; Edwards Machining Inc.; J & L Industries; K & M Precision Products; Lee Blake Precision; Lomar Machine and Tool Co.; Petty Machine and Tool; Precision Aerospace Corp.; Scott Machine Inc.; Terry Tool & Die Company and Tevilo Industries Inc.
Bay de Noc Community College - $100,000
o Anchor Coupling Inc.; Emerson Tool Company and Great Lakes Pulp & Fibre.
Grand Rapids Community College - $120,000
o KAM Plastics; Netshape; Pliant Plastics and Royal Plastics.
Jackson Community College/Lenawee Chamber Foundation - $200,000
o Adrian Steel; Anderson; Blissfield Manufacturing; Brazeway; Cyltec; Delphi; Inergy; L & W Engineering; Merillat; Rima and Wacker Chemical.
Livingston County Michigan Works! - $220,000
o Alpha Technology; Carcoustics Inc.; Chem Trend Inc.; Eberspacher Inc., Excelda Manufacturing; Metaldyne Tubular Products; MISA Metal Blanking; Ogihara America Corporation; Progressive Metal Forming and TG Fluids Systems USA.
Mott Community College - $150,000
o Fernco Inc; Magna Donnelly Electronics; Soroc Products and Webasto Products, North America.
Monroe Community College - $200,000
o E & E Manufacturing; Erin Industries Inc.; First Technology Safety Systems; General Scientific Corporation; Hatch Stamping; MAC Steel - Jackson; MAC Steel - Monroe; Michigan 99 Inc.; National Galvanizing; Spartan Steel; Sparton Electronics; Trenton Forging Company and Xycom Automation.
Oakland Community College - $100,000
o AMSEA Inc.; Booms Stone Company; Control Technique Inc.; General Fasteners; Hamlin Tool & Machine; KR Automation; Norgren Automation; Safari Technologies and Universal Tube.
Orchard View Community Schools - $100,000
o American Coil Springs; Craft Steel; Erdman Machine; ESS TEC Inc.; JMS Inc.; Loring Industries; Seaver Finishing and Universal Products.
Washtenaw Community College - $100,000
o Extang Corporation; MACDEE Inc.; Metalforming Technologies; Milan Cast Metal; Pinnacle Engineering Co., Protomatic Inc.; R. Schrock Company and Syron Engineering.
Wayne State University - $450,000
o Collins & Aikman; Dana; Lear Corp.; MRC Industrial Group; Metaldyne and Plastech.

In addition to these grants the Governor announced an additional $250,000 to help retain workers at 11 Michigan tool and die companies. In total today, the Governor announced nearly $2.2 million to benefit 87 companies and help retain nearly 15,000 manufacturing industry jobs.

Since 1994, more than $263 million in Economic Development Job Training grants have helped more than 500,000 Michigan workers improve their skills and enhance the competitiveness of their employers.

In her 2004 State of the State address, the Governor announced her plan to make Michigan a global economic powerhouse in the 21st century. Strengthening the workforce is part of that plan. EDJT funding is one of the key tools being used to develop a highly trained pool of workers to enhance the state's business-friendly climate.

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a partnership between the state and local communities, promotes smart economic growth by developing strategies and providing services to create and retain good jobs and a high quality of life.