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Bay Future | Bay Future Focus: November 2021

November 9, 2021

Michigan Business Network

President & CEO’s Message

In late October, we invited a limited number of regional business leaders to engage in a round table discussion with the new CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Quentin Messer Jr.

Mr. Messer spent the day in the Great Lakes Bay Region visiting with both business leaders in the manufacturing industry and touring businesses throughout the Region, including Bay County’s Michigan Sugar Company, Wilkinson Minerals, and SK Siltron CSS.

We utilized this opportunity to discuss our region’s strategic advantages as well as provide specific feedback on unique challenges we face here by the business leaders who operate here. By discussing opportunities for future growth as a collaborative effort, we can better align the strategy of the State to correspond to the competitive needs of our local Bay County businesses (many of whom serve national and international customers).

In his new role, Messer is charged with implementing and executing MEDC’s core mission of business development and attraction, community development, providing access to capital, and enhancing Michigan’s image and brand with a focus on building a strong and equitable economy for all Michiganders.

Thank you to our regional partners from Arenac County Economic Development Corporation, Midland Business Alliance, and Saginaw Future for their partnership in planning and participation in the event and for the Michigan Manufacturing Corporation (MMTC) for hosting us on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University.

Pictured above are Quentin Messer Jr., CEO, Michigan Economic Development Corporation and President and Chairman of the Michigan Strategic Fund, and Mark Flegenheimer, Michigan Sugar Company, President and CEO .

Happy reading,

-Trevor Keyes, EDFP

President & CEO

Bay Future, Inc.

Michigan Sugar Company Investing $65+ Million

Michigan Sugar Company announced plans to invest more than $65 million to construct a desugarization facility at its factory located at 2600 S. Euclid Ave. in Bay County’s Monitor Township (commonly known as the company’s Bay City factory).

The facility will allow Michigan Sugar Company to produce up to an additional 80 million pounds of pure, all-natural sugar annually from molasses that is a byproduct of the process through which sugar is extracted from sugarbeets. Currently, Michigan Sugar Company has the capacity to extract additional sugar from 60% of its molasses. The new facility will allow the company to extract additional sugar from 100% of its molasses.

Click here to read full press release

This $65+ million announcement follows the company’s announcement of a $2 million investment to expand their packaging operation at the Bay City facility. The project also includes installation of a new brown sugar packaging machine, sugar transport system and the infrastructure to add another line in the future.

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Bay County Leaders Tour SK Siltron CSS

Pictured above (left to right) Megan Manning, Bay Future, Inc.; Madison Jarmon, Consumers Energy; Duane Gohr, Valley Center Technology Park Owner’s Association/ Lyondellbasell; Terry Spencer, Monitor Township Supervisor; Jim Barcia, Bay County Executive; Vaugh Begick, Bay County Commissioner; SK Siltron CSS: Jianwei Dong, CEO; Richard Groves, Capital Projects and Facility Leader; Tiffany Kukla, HR Leader; Ed Sanchez, VP of Technologies and Operations; Ilgoo Jeong, Corporate Officer

Last month, SK Siltron CSS shared news of a $302 million investment in Bay County, Michigan. The silicon carbide (SiC) wafer manufacturer has plans to create 150 high-paying, skilled jobs over the next three years, to support U.S. electric vehicle production. Read full press release here.

Bay County community leaders had the opportunity to meet with SK Siltron CSS leadership facility last week. During the meeting they learned about the history of the organization as well as plans for growth, details of the cutting edge silicon carbide wafer technology, along with an opportunity to tour the current manufacturing space.

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Bay County Featured in Business in Focus Magazine

In a state that is known for its automotive history, leading the charge to drive the local economy forward in Bay County, Michigan is Bay Future, Inc. The economic development organization has found ways to rally communal support for the local economy and community well-being at a time when it was needed most, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the full article below!