Last week I was in Germany and Sweden to get the message out to businesses that Michigan is the place to invest and grow jobs. This mission was about highlighting our leadership in automotive R&D and our emerging strength in high-tech industries like alternative energy that make Michigan the perfect location for international companies looking to grow or establish their presence in North America. Not only did we bring new investment and jobs home, we laid the groundwork for additional investment and jobs in the future.

In the discussions, Swedish and German business executives were impressed with the Michigan Business Tax (MBT), which goes into effect January 1. The MBT provides a tax cut for more than seven out of ten Michigan businesses and will help stimulate the state’s economy by providing tax credits to companies that locate in Michigan or create new jobs in the state.

During the mission, we announced the following:

We held numerous meetings with company executives, government leaders, and alternative energy experts. I also spoke during the opening ceremonies of the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurial Days, and we attended a dinner with leading Swedish CEOs from alternative energy companies and automotive suppliers. At a business roundtable hosted by Business Region Gothenburg, we discussed Sweden’s alternative energy programs and how they could impact Michigan’s alternative energy strategy. Also outlined was the Michigan and Sweden Vehicle Communications Systems Partnership designed to share vehicle communications-related technology. Nearly 50 Swedish companies currently have operations in Michigan, employing more than 6,000 workers.

I also met with executives from German-based Behr-Hella Thermocontrol to convince them to build a new production facility in Michigan. More than 170,000 Michigan workers are employed by more than 300 German-owned companies that operate in the state. (German-owned companies are defined as those with at least 50 percent German ownership.) These companies, representing a wide range of industry sectors, are heavily concentrated in advanced automotive manufacturing and research and development. I also met with executives from Brose Fahrzeugteile and ZF Lemforder, global auto suppliers, to thank them for their past commitment to Michigan and to encourage their future growth in the state.

Previous investment missions to Germany and Japan have resulted in the announcement of more than $302 million in new investments and more than 2,300 new jobs. And I will continue to go anywhere and do anything to bring more good paying jobs to our state.

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