This article appeared in the January/February 2022 issue of MiMfg Magazine. Read the full issue and find past issues online.

As we enter the new year with ever-growing optimism for continued recovery from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic — both physical and economic — I am more confident than ever in the economic future of our industry and our state.

For more than 100 years, Michigan has been economically and reputationally defined by the auto industry. Just as the transition from the horse-drawn carriage to the automobile shaped Michigan’s identity at the turn of the 19th century, Michigan is now faced with the imminent electrification of the automobile.

To retain new investment on our soil and maintain our national leadership in automobile development and production, Michigan must out-compete other states who are taking aggressive actions to attract next-generation automotive investments.

In the final day of the legislative session of 2021, the Legislature passed a $1 billion economic development tool that puts Michigan in the game for transformational investments as the auto industry and the component supply chain quickly evolves from the internal combustion engine to electric and autonomous vehicles.

The benefits of this effort will be felt throughout the supply chain and the MMA membership, including the critical tool and die and molding industries. It will also extend beyond the manufacturing industry, supporting families and communities across the state.

I commend the Legislature and the Whitmer Administration for working together and coordinating closely with the manufacturing industry to allow us to engage in the interstate battle for current and future jobs and investments. Policymakers were faced with difficult decisions and, while some legislators did not support the package, we are grateful to those that took bold steps at a critical moment in Michigan’s history.

We look forward to positive results from this action in the very near future. It further and proudly declares that Michigan is the state for manufacturers in all industries.

Contact John J. Walsh

MMA President & CEO
Call 517-487-8550
E-mail walsh@mimfg.org