The University of Michigan says a new $148 million manufacturing institute planned for Canton Township is expected to create 10,000 jobs in the region within the next five years.
President Barack Obama on Tuesday will announce the Department of Defense-backed manufacturing institute in Wayne County to speed development of lightweight materials across a number of industries.
The American Lightweight Materials Manufacturing Innovation Institute was selected through a competitive process led by the U.S. Department of Defense, and will receive $70 million in federal funds over five years, matched by $78 million from the consortium partners. The funding includes $10 million from the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and unspecified funds from the state of Ohio.
The institute will be led by the University of Michigan, the Ohio-based manufacturing technology nonprofit EWI and Ohio State University, U-M said Sunday. More than 50 other companies, universities and nonprofits will take part in the public-private partnership.
“Through this initiative, our region will build on its core strengths to become the nation’s technology hub for lightweight materials and manufacturing,” said U-M President Mary Sue Coleman.
The institute’s efforts will focus on the entire transportation supply chain, seeking to boost innovations from conception through design, development and production. The consortium will contract for more than $100 million in research and development projects with partner organizations, U-M said.
U-M said that most of the 10,000 jobs the institute is expected to create “will be in the metal stamping, metalworking, machining and casting industries that are dominant in the Midwest region.”
Other partners include Honda North America, Michigan State University, Michigan Tech University, Wayne State University, Boeing and Alcoa.
The Lightweight Modern Metals Manufacturing Innovation — or LM3I — pairs leading aluminum, titanium and high strength steel manufacturers with universities and laboratories pioneering new technology development and research.
Obama wants a full national network of up to 45 manufacturing innovation institutes, but needs approval and funding from Congress.
Source: MEDC
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