April 09, 2010
April 9, 2010
In radio address, governor says she'll meet with CEOs in Italy, Germany
LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said that on her tenth overseas investment mission, she will meet with key executives from companies in Italy and Germany to persuade them that Michigan is the place they need to be if they want to expand in North America
"As governor, one of my commitments to the people of Michigan is to go anywhere and do anything to bring business investment and jobs to Michigan," Granholm said. "Since 2004, I've been on nine overseas trade missions, visiting business leaders in countries like Germany, Japan, Sweden and Belgium. These trade missions have resulted in 47 companies announcing nearly $1.7 billion in new investment in Michigan and the creation or retention of almost 13,000 jobs here."
"I will, for the tenth time, be meeting with companies overseas to encourage foreign investment in Michigan," Granholm said. "My mission will include a first-time visit to Italy and a return trip to Germany. I'll be meeting with CEOS and top officials in five cities. These companies include ones involved in automobile manufacturing, advanced batteries, renewable energy, and the defense industry."
"In Italy, for example, I'll meet with a company that's proposing to add thousands of shipbuilding jobs in the Upper Peninsula and also with representatives of Fiat and Italian auto suppliers," Granholm continued. "While in Germany, I'll also speak to the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce about why Michigan, with our great infrastructure, our skilled workers and our fantastic quality of life, is a great place for businesses to invest and grow."
"Wherever there are opportunities to bring new companies to Michigan and create new jobs, I'll pursue those opportunities," Granholm said. "If it means traveling to Europe or Asia or even Katmandu, I'll do it. And I'll do it because our top priority is working every day to diversify Michigan's economy and create new jobs."
The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state. The address is available for download on the governor's Web site at www.michigan.gov/gov together with a clip of the quote above. The radio address also is 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 - Trade Mission
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov244Full_317281_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov244Edit_317282_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov244Quote_317283_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
As governor, one of my commitments to the people of Michigan is to go anywhere and do anything to bring business investment and jobs to Michigan. And that includes traveling overseas to persuade foreign companies that Michigan is the place they need to be.
Since 2004, I've been on nine overseas trade missions, visiting business leaders in countries like Germany, Japan, Sweden and Belgium. These trade missions have resulted in 47 companies announcing $1.7 billion in new investment in Michigan and the creation or retention of almost 13,000 jobs here.
Last July, I traveled to Germany and Belgium to convince the leaders of the battery company fortu PowerCell that Michigan was becoming a center for battery manufacturing and that they needed to be where the action is. I returned to Michigan with the good news that fortu would soon begin searching for a location in West Michigan to build a battery-pack manufacturing facility, pending approval of state and local incentives.
The culmination of all my administration's hard work in convincing fortu to come to Michigan came in an announcement by the company last month. fortu said it would invest $623 million in a new plant in Muskegon Township and plans to create 726 new jobs at the plant. It's estimated that the increased economic activity created by fortu's new plant will generate an additional 1,200 spinoff jobs. fortu is just one of many success stories, with others ranging from Japanese auto suppliers to a Swedish biogas company.
I will - for the tenth time - be meeting with companies overseas to encourage foreign investment in Michigan. My mission will include a first-time visit to Italy and a return trip to Germany.
I'll be meeting with CEOs and top officials in five cities. These companies include ones involved in automobile manufacturing, advanced batteries, renewable energy, and the defense industry.
In Italy, for example, I'll meet with a company that's proposing to add thousands of shipbuilding jobs in the Upper Peninsula and also with representatives of Fiat and Italian auto suppliers.
While in Germany, I'll also speak to the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce about why Michigan, with our great infrastructure, our skilled workers and our fantastic quality of life, is a great place for businesses to invest and grow.
Wherever there are opportunities to bring new companies to Michigan and create new jobs, I'll pursue those opportunities. If it means traveling to Europe or Asia or even Katmandu, I'll do it. And I'll do it because our top priority is working every day to diversify Michigan's economy and create new jobs.
Thank you for listening.
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