Exciting news reached the ears of the Metro-Detroiters and Michiganders this past Memorial Day. Kistler, a Swiss automotive systems manufacturing company, announced that the grand opening of its North American Tech Center in Novi is set for September.

The nearly-completed 20,000-square-foot tech center will provide a boost to Michigan’s resurgent auto industry. “The team looks forward to the enhanced ability to serve our customers and to set a new industry standard for excellence in vehicle-testing technology,” says Nick Wilks, Kistler’s North American managing director.

The unique expertise of this Swiss company intends to open up new doors in automotive R&D and automotive processes. The opening of Kistler looks as if it will mark an exciting day for new opportunity and innovation in Michigan.

Shovels will start swinging at the ground-breaking of Chemetall’s new facility on Wednesday, May 4. The development will consolidate operations in a new $25 million building in the Jackson Technology Park Smart Zone.

The global chemical company considered Kentucky, Indiana and the Carolinas for this state-of-the-art facility, choosing Blackman Charter Township for what CEO Ron Felber described as a “wholesome community,” support of state and local economic developers, and its talented workforce.

“The people employed here now are bright and motivated,” he said. “They have a great work ethic.”

The project will retain 75 highly skilled jobs, including chemists, supervisors and plant workers, by next year.  It is also expected to create 200 construction jobs, beginning in June with completion expected by September 2012.

“We’re creating a super plant,” Felber said. “We’re here to stay.”

Tuesday, Symmetry Medical announced it would invest approximately $14.8 million to expand in Lansing to meet growing demand for their high-precision machining, creating up to 159 jobs. Symmetry could have chosen to expand at its facility in Malaysia, but it chose Michigan because of our highly skilled workers and competitive business climate.

That was only one of many success stories highlighted Tuesday, when Gov. Granholm announced that our efforts have resulted in 13 job-creating projects, generating 4,278 new jobs and attracting more than $103 million in investment to communities across the state. Jobs were added in traditional manufacturing sectors, as well as cutting-edge areas of growth such as alternative energy and high-tech medical devices.

Symmetry Medical was founded in 1985 as Jet Engineering to produce automotive and aerospace components. The focus of the company shifted in the late 1980s, when it began manufacturing implants for the orthopedic industry. Since 1985, the company has grown in size from 10 employees to nearly 400.

Projects such as the one announced by Symmetry Medical highlight that Michigan companies are adapting and growing to accommodate a changing global marketplace – and they’re choosing to stay right here as they grow.

Michigan hosted a very special VIP, er, make that VP, today as Vice President Joe Biden celebrated the groundbreaking of a new Dow Kokam advanced battery plant in Midland.  He praised the plant as a solid step toward cutting back the country’s reliance on oil, and rebuilding Michigan’s manufacturing base.

The Dow Kokam story demonstrates what can be achieved when we have strong public-private partnerships and government can present a convincing business case to a particular company or even an entire industry such as advanced batteries.

Federal Department of Energy grants made possible by the Recovery Act, combined with Michigan’s first-in-the-nation battery tax credits, have generated an entire new industry in our state that didn’t exist a year ago.

Since last August, 16 companies representing the entire advanced battery and electric vehicle supply chain have begun operations in Michigan.  And these 16 companies are projected to create 62,000 good-paying jobs here in our state in the next decade.

Last week, during the press preview of the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it was announced that Michigan will be the proud host of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE intensive, multi-stage testing competition phase of its 50-plus super fuel-efficient vehicles.  This is an exciting opportunity for the state of Michigan and the competition is supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan International Speedway. SQ2JXHYSYAS3

Here are highlights from the press conference and more details about the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition:

Michigan and the MEDC are once again leading the way in placing the spotlight on green technology at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

Michigan’s leadership role in the future of the auto industry will be on full display during the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next week.  For the second year in a row, the MEDC will host the EcoXperience – a quarter-mile indoor ride-and-drive test track surrounded by landscaped and forested terrain with a variety of electric vehicles.

In addition to the EcoXperience, we are excited to introduce a new exhibit this year: The MEDC Alternative Energy Showcase.  This showcase will feature ten of the most innovative alternative energy component suppliers displaying the latest battery and related technologies.

Adding to the Auto Show excitement is the announcement that the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize will be coming to Michigan this year for the intensive, multi-stage testing process of its 50-plus super fuel-efficient vehicles, thanks to a unique new partnership with the MEDC.  The performance and testing events will be spread over five months, kicking off in April, and concluding in August.  The X Prize team will conduct several closed-door competition events aimed at testing the safety, efficiency and performance of each competition vehicle.  Public events will also be held, showcasing the X Prize vehicles and their technologies.

Michigan has led the way for years in sustainable manufacturing and advanced battery innovation.  In 2006, we identified the advanced battery market as a key emerging sector that our state was positioned to lead, and created the economic development tools and passed legislation to build the industry right here.  We were the first in the nation to unite private companies, research universities and state resources to commercialize energy technologies at our Centers for Energy Excellence.  We were also the first to create incentives for advanced battery research and development, pack engineering and assembly – along with advanced battery credits – that convinced battery manufacturers to locate in Michigan.

We are seeing the future of the automobile and the American auto industry. Electric vehicles powered by advanced batteries – and made right here in Michigan.  Electric vehicles will reduce our dependence on foreign oil and help us address the problem of climate change. And the advanced batteries that power electric vehicles will produce thousands of badly needed jobs here in Michigan – 20,000 jobs by the year 2020, according to some estimates.

There is no better place in the world better suited to display these green-powered vehicles. We are home to more collective automotive manufacturing and R&D talent in North America than the other 49 states and Canada and Mexico combined. Michigan has the knowledge base, the talent and the facilities to support the development of the new technologies central to achieving both the goals of the competition and the future of the automotive industry.

The MEDC is a proud to once again be a part of the 2010 North American International Auto Show, and invite all of you to stop by to see the EcoXperience and the Alternative Energy Showcase in the Michigan Hall.  The show opens to the public on Saturday January 16, 2010, and runs through January 23, 2010. 

Check out some of the pictures we took during our visit this week, and be sure to visit Pure Michigan Connect to see what a good time our Travel Michigan team had, and learn about all the other things to do while you are in Detroit.