From: Whipple, Deb (GOV)
Sent: Monday, April 12, 2010
3:39 PM
Subject: What the governor is talking about today
What the Governor’s Talking about
Today
Monday, April 12, 2010
Governor Continues Investment Mission,
Meets in Italy with Fiat/Chrysler Group and Magneti Marelli CEOs
The governor today continued her investment
mission, meeting with Fiat S.p.A and Chrysler Group LLC CEO Sergio Marchionne,
and Magneti Marelli S.p.A. President and CEO Eugenio Razelli and Magneti Marelli
USA President and CEO James Rosseau in Turin, Italy. The governor thanked
both companies for their past commitment to Michigan and made the case for
additional investment and jobs in the future.
The governor and Marchionne discussed several
issues, including his turnaround plan for Chrysler and the company’s
electrification strategy. The governor thanked him for his recent
commitment to invest $179 million in the company’s Global Engine Manufacturing
Alliance engine plant in Dundee, expected to create 155 new jobs, and
congratulated him on the opening of the company’s $730 million engine plant in
Trenton which will employ 500 at full capacity.
In January, the
governor announced that Magneti Marelli, a subsidiary of Fiat Holdings, will
invest $4.5 million to consolidate and expand its Michigan operations and create
200 new jobs. The governor thanked Razelli for choosing Michigan over
Tennessee and North Carolina and explored opportunities to attract additional
Fiat suppliers to the state.
Between the company meetings, the
governor addressed approximately 25 executives from Italian auto suppliers at a
National Association of the Automotive Industry (ANFIA) luncheon where she
highlighted Michigan’s automotive research and development strengths and
diversification efforts.
The governor’s trade mission now continues
on to Germany. In Germany, meetings are scheduled with executives from
various divisions of the Bosch group; MITEC AG, a global auto propulsion
technology company; Kostal, a manufacturer of electromechanical and mechatronic
products; and Daimler. Approximately 100 company officials, government
leaders and members of the German press are expected to attend a reception in
Stuttgart co-hosted by the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the Stuttgart
Region and the Byrnes Institute where the governor will discuss Michigan’s focus
on clean-energy manufacturing and jobs.
Key
messages:
• The governor’s meetings in Italy confirmed
that Michigan is well-positioned to continue to win the lion’s share of
investment from global companies looking to expand in the North American
market. Our competitive business climate, manufacturing strength and
commitment to growing new technology sectors make Michigan the perfect place for
international investment and job creation.
• This trip to Italy and Germany is the
governor’s tenth overseas investment mission since 2004. Her previous
missions to Austria, Belgium, Germany, Israel, Japan, Jordan and Sweden have
resulted in 47 companies announcing more than $1.6 billion in new investment in
Michigan and 12,995 (7,344 direct) jobs created and retained.
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