General Electric seeking to open advanced manufacturing complex near Ann Arbor
General Electric is actively searching the Ann Arbor region for a manufacturing complex with plans to produce advanced parts for jet engine equipment, an executive told AnnArbor.com today.
The search has centered on western Wayne County, where GE last year launched its Advanced Manufacturing and Software Technology Center, promising to hire 1,200 workers over the next five years.
But Vic Bhagat, GE’s AMSTC site leader, said the global
company is not ruling out surrounding areas, including Washtenaw County.
He said GE hopes to settle on an existing complex within three to four
months because the company wants to start manufacturing quickly. It won't be located at the AMSTC site.
Vic Bhagat, General Electric's site leader in Van Buren Township, said the company is seeking a facility for an advanced manufacturing complex.
File photo by Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com
GE plans to hire 130 workers to staff the advanced manufacturing complex, giving the company more than 1,300 workers in the Ann Arbor region by 2014. GE has already hired 200 workers at its new operation in Van Buren Township.
The union of advanced manufacturing and advanced software technology is an important relationship in the push to diversify Michigan’s economy.
“Let’s not figure out how to retool factories. Let’s figure out how to retool the mindset of people, get them to start thinking about innovative processes and solutions,” Bhagat said. “Manufacturing will come with it.”
GE Vice Chairman John Rice said this morning at a press conference that the firm is hiring high-level information technology experts at a pace of two per day. The IT workers will coordinate with the advanced manufacturing complex.
“We think that Michigan is well positioned to be a leader in advanced manufacturing and we’re very happy to be part of it,” Rice said.
GE surprised industry observers in June 2009 by announcing that it had selected Michigan for its largest IT research and support center, part of CEO Jeffrey Immelt’s initiative to boost the global giant’s domestic technology capabilities.
The conglomerate is leasing half of the former Visteon Village, a pristine campus and an unmistakable relic of the auto industry’s prosperous past.
The “marriage ceremony” of manufacturing and software is a perfect fit for Michigan’s technology expertise, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin said.
“General Electric knows what it’s doing when they expand in Michigan. This is not a casual decision on their part,” Levin said.
Rice said GE had received more than 45,000 job applications since announcing that it would launch its IT center in Michigan.
“The quantity is significant, but more important is the quality. That’s the part that excites us,” he said.
Of the 200 people GE has hired, more than 90 percent were from Michigan, said Charlene Begley, GE’s chief information officer and CEO of GE Home and Business Solutions.
“They represent the tenacious, passionate spirit of this great state,” Begley said. “They also represent GE’s commitment to Michigan.”
Contact AnnArbor.com’s Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com. You can also follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com’s newsletters.
Comments
KJMClark
Tue, May 4, 2010 : 11:42 a.m.
That's funny. So we should just start cherry-picking everything west of I-275 as part of the "Ann Arbor Metropolitan Area". Then we can ditch SEMCOG and create the AAACOG (Ann Arbor Area Council of Governments). Could we at least make AAACOG representative based on population? We'd get much better land use and transportation planning that way. [irony] Just think, in 50 years we can designate Detroit as the "East Ann Arbor revitalization zone". [/irony]
Basic Bob
Tue, May 4, 2010 : 8:06 a.m.
This story IS pertinent to manufacturing engineers in Ann Arbor. Many routinely drive to Livonia, Dearborn, Detroit, Southfield, Auburn Hills,.... In comparison, Van Buren Township is right in our backyard, even if it is statistically in Detroit. Now if we can find someone who needs 5 million square feet of manufacturing space to take the Willow Run plant before it crumbles.
racerx
Tue, May 4, 2010 : 4:07 a.m.
"...the Ann Arbor region..." This of course won't occur IN Ann Arbor. Think of a surrounding township, but not within the city. Hey, maybe SPARK can use their influence to get GE within the city. That'll be one way to justify their bloated salaries.
Nathan Bomey
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 9:46 p.m.
Townie, you'll be interested to note that Ann Arbor SPARK, the regional economic development organization, considers western Wayne County part of its target area. In fact, SPARK was instrumental in the establishment of the 57,000-square-foot Michigan Life Science Innovation Center in Plymouth Township, which is, of course, part of western Wayne County. http://www.annarborusa.org/start-ups/spark-incubator/michigan-life-science-innovation-center/
townie
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 6:31 p.m.
I've lived in Ann Arbor for decades and this is the first time I've ever heard of Western Wayne County being referred to as part of the "Ann Arbor region." Where did you come up with that one? Get off of Google maps, get in your car, and drive around a bit. There are many locations around Wayne County and Southeastern Michigan that have suffered tremendous job losses due to existing plant closures. Certainly those areas, with existing facilities and thousands of laid-off manufacturing workers living nearby would be far more appropriate (fair, sustainable, logical) for a new manufacturing operation than Ann Arbor would.
AMOC
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 5:28 p.m.
@Cynic - GE only accepts on-line applications. So no stamps are wasted in the process of hiring some of the eager, experienced, talented programmers, system analysts and SW developers GE is looking for. Nor will stamps be wasted by this long-unemployed advanced manufacturing engineer and 6 Sigma Black Belt when GE announces which skill sets they're looking for in Advanced Manufacturing. So far it's been all computers.
Macabre Sunset
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 5:21 p.m.
Nice to hear. I hope the Ann Arbor council realizes their policies ensure that the new complex will locate outside of city limits, but every new job helps the region.
Kafkaland
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 5:09 p.m.
Cynic, UM receives typically over 100 applications for every faculty position they post. does that mean UM schould stop hiring faculty, just because there are so many applicants? Let's just give up on Michigan, because there are so many well-qualified people here who are looking for work...
Edward R. Murrow's ghost
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.
Cynic: Yep, just send those jobs away. We don't need 'em. If they can't bring enough, don't bring any. Jeeeesh.
CynicA2
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 4:50 p.m.
Hmmmm... let's see... 45,000 apps for 1200 positions (IF they're not lying about how many they will hire - like some others I could mention) - that's only 37.5 resumes for each position! Wow! Might as well feed a copy of your resume into your paper shredder, and save the cost of a stamp! Also, since when has western Wayne County been a part of the so-called "Ann Arbor region", otherwise known to the less pretentious as Washtenaw County, that snoozy, depopulating, retirement center, 50 or so miles west of Detroit?? Believe this balmy forecast only if when it happens!
retiredge76
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 3:18 p.m.
GE is getting paid by the Federal gov't to make hire workers in Michigan. What happens when the "stimulus money" runs out? It's fools gold.
Nathan Bomey
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 2:25 p.m.
Sellers, insightful comment. I agree -- the Plymouth, Canton, Van Buren Township area can be alternately associated with the Ann Arbor region and Detroit. For a business like GE, which is seeking high-level information technology professionals with 10 to 20 years of experience, Ann Arbor is a significant source of talent. That's why we believe this business, albeit technically located outside of Washtenaw County's borders, is still incredibly relevant to Ann Arbor. Thanks for reading!
sellers
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 2:14 p.m.
Ann Arbor and Detroit will fight for bragging rights to the region/jobs. Most would say that western wayne would be part of Detroit (it's part of the Detroit/Livonia/Warren are) but I know many who would like to be associated with Ann Arbor instead. Either way, both communities win..... probably Detroit more.
PittsfieldTwp
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 2:07 p.m.
Bring it
braggslaw
Mon, May 3, 2010 : 1:35 p.m.
Great news. The old NSK plant on State Street is empty. It looks like it is in great shape. I would suggest GE take a look at this site.