June 26, 2009
In radio address, governor says GE decision also a signalto other companies that they, too, can thrive in Michigan
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today applauded General Electric Company's decision to locate its new advanced technology and training center in Michigan. The center will be located in Wayne County's Van Buren Township, about 25 miles outside Detroit.
"Imagination at Work is the slogan of the General Electric Company," Granholm said. "When GE was imagining where to locate its new advanced technology and training center, it came up with a wonderful idea: Michigan."
"GE's advanced technology and training center is exactly the kind of high tech, cutting-edge investment we continue working to bring to Michigan," Granholm said. "Our manufacturing and technological expertise, our universities, our skilled workforce and competitive business climate make our state a top choice for visionary business leaders."
Granholm noted that in addition to the advanced technology and training center, GE also will establish a research and development center at the Van Buren Township site.
"GE's decision to invest and grow in Michigan is great news for our state and our citizens," Granholm said. "And it's also a signal to other companies across America and the world that they, too, can thrive in Michigan. We've got the manufacturing infrastructure, the technological knowhow, the talented workforce, the universities and the natural resources for them to do it - all the wonderful attributes any company could imagine are right here in Michigan."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available on the governor's Web site at (
www.michigan.gov/gov
) for download, together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. Links to the audio files and text of today's address follow.
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
Radio Address - GE
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
"Imagination at Work" is the slogan of the General Electric Company. When GE was imagining where to locate its new advanced technology and training center, it came up with a wonderful idea: Michigan.
Friday morning, I was proud to participate in GE's announcement that it'll open a new advanced technology and training center in Wayne County's Van Buren Township, about 25 miles outside of Detroit. The center will focus on developing advanced manufacturing technology, software and information technology. It'll employ 1,200 people and it also will create more than 1,600 indirect and spinoff jobs.
There was fierce competition among states for this center. So why did GE select Michigan over states like Ohio, New York and South Carolina? GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt put it this way: "Michigan is a great location for a technology center because of its world-class engineering and technical talent and public officials who understand that investing now will create tomorrow's leading positions in information technology, clean energy and transportation."
GE's advanced technology and training center is exactly the kind of high tech, cutting-edge investment we continue working to bring to Michigan. Our manufacturing and technological expertise, our universities, our skilled workforce and competitive business climate make our state a top choice for visionary business leaders.
GE will also establish a research and development center at the Van Buren Township site. Scientists and engineers at the center will develop next-generation manufacturing technologies for GE's aircraft engines, gas turbines, renewable energy and other high technology products. This will include developing composites, machining, inspection, casting and coating technologies for GE's aviation and energy businesses.
What's particularly exciting will be the research center's work on manufacturing technologies for those renewable energy products. GE's one of the world's leading wind turbine suppliers and also manufactures solar energy products for homes and businesses.
The renewable energy facet of GE's business meshes nicely with our economic development incentives as we focus on leading the nation's green industrial revolution and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Michigan will design and manufacture fuel-efficient cars, advanced batteries for electric cars, wind turbines, solar panels and more.
GE's decision to invest and grow in Michigan is great news for our state and our citizens. And it's also a signal to other companies across America and the world that they, too, can thrive in Michigan. We've got the manufacturing infrastructure, the technological knowhow, the talented workforce, the universities and the natural resources for them to do it - all the wonderful attributes any company could imagine are right here in Michigan.
Thank you for listening.
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