March 16, 2007

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today highlighted her efforts to create new jobs in Michigan right now and make investments in Michigan that will continue to pay off in the future. 

Yesterday, Granholm returned from a three-day investment mission to Germany where she announced 787 jobs created and retained and $20 million in investments by FACTON Inc., Kostal of America, MBTech Autodie, and AVL Powertrain Engineering Inc.  Tomorrow, Granholm will attend the Michigan F.I.R.S.T. Robotics competition being held in Detroit, which brings high school students together with engineers and others in the private sector.
 
"The skills our kids learn at F.I.R.S.T. Robotics give them the skills that make our workforce so attractive to the kinds of businesses - like FACTON, Kostal, and MBTech - that will power the economy of the future," Granholm said.  "These are the investments that our economic plan is focused on - critical investments in all our people so that we can survive and thrive in the global marketplace."
 
F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics competitions combine the excitement of sport with science and technology to help high school students discover rewarding careers in engineering and technical research, as well as other opportunities in the type of high-tech companies that are investing in Michigan today.  As part of her plan to invest in Michigan's future, Governor Granholm included funding for the program in her proposed budget for FY 2008.
 
Just as investing in children here at home is an important part of the governor's economic plan, so is helping companies create new jobs in Michigan right now.  That is why Granholm is continuing to go anywhere and do anything to bring jobs and investments to Michigan.  This week Granholm spent three days in Germany and Austria, meeting face to face with business leaders and executives to persuade them that Michigan is the best place in the world for them to expand and create jobs. 

During the investment mission, Granholm announced:

- software company FACTON is locating its new North American office in Auburn Hills, which will create 93 new Michigan jobs;

- Kostal Group is expanding in Troy to create a new international research and development center of excellence, and 203 new high-tech jobs;

- MBTech is investing in and upgrading the former Autodie facility in Grand Rapids, retaining 422 Michigan jobs; and,

- AVL is accelerating the hiring of 25 workers for its new technology center in Ann Arbor and plans to expand its operations with an additional 80 workers.

"When companies learn about all we have to offer in Michigan - our world class workforce, our top notch universities, and the growth of cutting-edge industries - they come to Michigan, invest in Michigan, and create good-paying jobs in Michigan," Granholm said.

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state through an affiliation with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.  The address will also be available on the Governor's Web site on Mondays as a podcast for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers. 

Broadcasters Note: Governor Granholm's radio address can be accessed through Sunday evening exclusively through the Members Only page of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Web site. 

Publishers Note: The text of today's address is attached.

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GOVERNOR JENNIFER M. GRANHOLM
Friday, March 16, 2007

This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

You've heard me say before that I'm going to go anywhere and do anything to bring jobs back to Michigan.  Well this week, I spent three days in Germany and Austria, meeting face to face with business leaders and executives to persuade them that Michigan is the best place in the world for them to grow their businesses - and the best place in the world to expand and create jobs. 

When companies learn about all we have to offer in Michigan - our world class workforce, our top notch universities, the growth of cutting-edge industries - they come to Michigan, they invest in Michigan, and they create good-paying jobs in Michigan.

Just this week, a number of German-based high-tech companies responded to our pursuit of new investments. FACTON Incorporated, a software company, is going to locate its new North American office in Auburn Hills. Kostal Group is expanding in Troy to create a new international research and development center of excellence. And MBTech Autodie is going to upgrade a facility in Grand Rapids.

Helping these companies create new jobs in Michigan right now is an important part of our economic strategy.  And at the other end of the spectrum we're making important investments in our future that will pay off in a big way tomorrow. 

This weekend, I am visiting the F.I.R.S.T. Robotics competition at Wayne State University. The F.I.R.S.T. Robotics program brings together kids in high schools across the state with engineers and others in the private sector. Together, these teams create robots and compete against each other for the best design. It's so fun, and it's educational.

We want Michigan to be the number one state in the country for F.I.R.S.T. Robotics teams - and we want high schools across the state to participate. It's a hands-on way for kids to learn physics, science and math - and it can lead to a career in exactly the kind of high-tech industries that we're investing in, in Michigan.

Training our kids for the jobs of the future by investing in programs like F.I.R.S.T. Robotics, by making sure that we have the best schools with rigorous curriculum, and by giving every child the opportunity to go on and complete college or technical training - these initiatives aren't just good for the kids, they're good for Michigan.  The skills our kids learn at F.I.R.S.T. Robotics give them the skills that make our workforce so attractive to the kinds of businesses - like FACTON and Kostal and MBTech - that will power the economy of the future. And these are the investments that our economic plan is focused on - critical investments in all our people so that we can survive and thrive in the global marketplace.

Thank you for listening.