November 19, 2008
Middle East investment mission focused on bringing jobs to state
AMMAN, JORDAN - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm was in Jordan today where she met with His Majesty King Abdullah II and high-level executives from alternative energy company Millennium Energy Industries. Granholm and a delegation, including Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) President and CEO James C. Epolito, are in Israel and Jordan this week meeting with the countries' leading business and government leaders to develop new partnerships and encourage companies to invest and grow in Michigan.
"This mission is all about attracting new business investment that will create jobs and grow Michigan's economy," Granholm said. "We are meeting with cutting-edge companies doing exciting work in alternative energy, water reuse, and homeland security, and our strategy to diversify Michigan's economy makes us the right place in North America for them to locate or expand."
Today, Granholm had an audience with His Majesty King Abdullah II at the Royal Palace in Amman to discuss ways Jordan and Michigan can work together to advance alternative energy and water reuse technologies.
The governor also met with high-level executives from Millennium Energy Industries, a global solar solutions company operating in the Middle East and North Africa, which is looking to establish a North American presence. Millennium's wide range of applications include space heating and cooling, industrial and domestic hot water systems, steam and power. The company's solar system has been implemented in the Jordache textile factory, heating 250,000 liters of hot water daily to bleach and wash jeans, and in the PMC Chocolate Factory, maintaining the high temperatures needed for chocolate production 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
"We have a strong case to make for international companies to do business in Michigan," Epolito said. "Very few states can match our talented workforce or innovative economic development tools we have available to help companies compete in a very competitive global economy."
While the governor was in Jordan today, members of her delegation remained in Israel to meet with high-tech Israeli businesses and researchers and to build on the historic joint declaration of strategic cooperation signed Monday by Governor Granholm and Israel's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor Eli Yshai. Meetings were held with water technology and alternative energy companies participating in the renowned CleanTech Conference in Tel Aviv on Thursday.
The investment mission to the Middle East is the governor's seventh overseas investment mission since 2004. Her previous missions to Germany, Austria, Japan and Sweden have resulted in 42 companies announcing more than $944 million in new investment and more than 10,600 jobs created and retained.
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