June 11, 2010
In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said Michigan is becoming a center for advanced battery production, a result of continuing efforts to diversify the state's economy and create jobs.
"This week, I met with Peter Kim, CEO and vice chairman of LG Chem, one of the world's largest producers of advanced chemicals and materials and a leading supplier of lithium-ion batteries," Granholm said. "LG Chem has just begun construction of its new battery manufacturing plant in Holland."
"During our meeting, Mr. Kim remarked that Michigan is becoming a world capital for advanced batteries," Granholm said. "We now have 16 advanced battery companies building facilities in Michigan and hiring people in Michigan, representing $5.8 billion in capital investment and projected to create almost 62,000 new jobs."
Also this week, the governor attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Northville Township for TSC Michigan, a subsidiary of Techno SemiChem, a company that's on the cutting edge of developing new, advanced electrolyte materials, which are a key component in the manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion battery cells.
"The advanced battery industry is just one example of what we're doing to diversify Michigan's economy," Granholm said. "We're also targeting solar and wind manufacturing; life sciences; homeland security and defense; advanced manufacturing; film; and tourism. For Michigan to be competitive globally, we have to continue diversifying our economy and educating our citizens."
"Through our diversification and education initiatives, we've laid a foundation for the new Michigan economy," Granholm said. "We've put in place the best policies to promote long-term economic health. A brighter future for Michigan requires that we continue moving forward on this path."
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 - Advanced Batteries
Full: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov253Full_324309_7.mp3
Edited: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov253Edit_324310_7.mp3
Quote: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov253Quote_324312_7.mp3
Hello, this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
Electric cars powered by advanced batteries are the vehicles of the future. And just as we intend for Michigan to be a center for electric vehicle production, we've also been working to make our state a center for advanced battery production.
This week, I met with Peter Kim, CEO and vice chairman of LG Chem, one of the world's largest producers of advanced chemicals and materials and a leading supplier of lithium-ion batteries. LG Chem has just begun construction of its new battery manufacturing plant in Holland.
During our meeting, Mr. Kim remarked that Michigan is becoming a world capital for advanced batteries. And that's exactly what we envisioned three years ago when we targeted the advanced battery market as one of the sectors to help diversify our state's economy.
To build an entire advanced battery industry in Michigan, we created several economic development tools, including first-in-the-nation battery credits. And our efforts received a tremendous boost last August when 12 Michigan projects received more than $1.35 billion in grants from the U.S. Department of Energy funded by the Recovery Act.
So we now have 16 advanced battery companies building facilities in Michigan, hiring people in Michigan, representing $5.8 billion in capital investment and projected to create almost 62,000 new jobs. Not only do we want battery manufacturers to locate in Michigan, we want their suppliers here as well.
Earlier this week, I attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Northville Township for TSC Michigan, a subsidiary of Techno SemiChem, which is a company that's on the cutting edge of developing new, advanced electrolyte materials which are a key component in the manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion battery cells.
Because Michigan is becoming a new global center for advanced batteries, TSC is establishing its North American headquarters here to be close to its customers. TSC's Northville facility will house research and development operations and pilot production of new electrolyte formulations for several Michigan-based battery manufacturers. And that facility will employ 279 engineers, technicians, production workers and business staff.
The advanced battery industry is just one example of what we're doing to diversify Michigan's economy. We're also targeting solar and wind manufacturing; life sciences; homeland security and defense; advanced manufacturing; film; and tourism. For Michigan to be competitive globally, we have to continue diversifying our economy and educating our citizens.
Through our diversification and education initiatives, we've laid a foundation for the new Michigan economy. We've put in place the best policies to promote long-term economic health. A brighter future for Michigan requires that we continue moving forward on this path.
Thank you for listening.
