LANSING, Mich. – In the past week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in announcing Michigan Strategic Fund approval of a wide range of projects, including two new manufacturing facilities by innovative glass products manufacturer LuxWall, two new facilities by electric truck manufacturer Bollinger Motors, expansions by Michigan companies Magna and Vantage Plastics, a new spec building in Romulus, placemaking projects in Battle Creek and Pontiac, and other actions that will further strengthen Michigan’s economy and startup ecosystem. The projects approved represent a total capital investment of nearly $452 million across Michigan.  

“We are strengthening Michigan’s economy by bringing good jobs to Michigan residents, expanding on our leadership in mobility and next-generation manufacturing, building on our inventory of investment-ready facilities, supporting sustainability efforts, creating vibrant communities, and investing in initiatives that will ensure long-term economic opportunity for businesses in the state,” said Governor Whitmer. “Let’s keep competing to win projects that bring good-paying, high-skill jobs home so everyone, in any community, can ‘make it’ in Michigan. Together, we will continue sending a clear message that Michigan is open for business and building on our momentum.”  

LuxWall Creating 453 High-Tech Jobs   

 LuxWall, Inc., founded in 2016 and headquartered in Ypsilanti with 49 employees, designs and develops, next-generation vacuum insulated glass. The company’s  Enthermal products have the potential to disrupt the traditional glass industry as its products are very thin, yet have superior insulative properties and have significantly better performance of 45 percent greater heat retention in the winter and 60 percent greater cooling retention in the summer as compared to conventional building glass. According to the International Energy Agency, buildings account for 36 percent of global energy consumption and are responsible for 39 percent of global CO2 emissions.  

LuxWall has received significant investments from Bill Gates-founded Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Prelude Ventures, Baruch Future Ventures, 2150, and Khosla Ventures, and is preparing for high-volume manufacturing of its products.  

LuxWall plans to construct the world’s first high-volume vacuum-insulated glass production facilities that will include two factories that house manufacturing, quality control, office space, and laboratories. The company plans to establish the first operations in two existing, vacant facilities in Litchfield, where it will achieve scale and validate its ability to manufacture in commercial volumes. The company is currently evaluating sites in Detroit for its second facility, where it will triple production capacity. The two sites will manufacture energy-efficient windows that will be sold to residential and commercial customers in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  

“Today is a huge step for LuxWall as we ready our company for the commercialization phase by meaningfully expanding our footprint in Michigan to now include major manufacturing plants in Litchfield and our future Detroit site,” Scott Thomsen, CEO and co-founder of LuxWall. “We are grateful for the strong business and economic support we have received from the State of Michigan, MEDC, DRP, City of Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Hillsdale County, and the City of Detroit as we expand the company.  We are committed to creating high quality, well-paying jobs, and collaborating with Michigan Works and other agencies to develop best-in-class training programs to ensure we hire, develop and promote Michigan talent.”   

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $165.6 million and create 453 jobs with the support of a $6 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. LuxWall chose Michigan for the project over competing sites in neighboring states because of Michigan’s pro-business environment, aggressive sustainability goals, and its goal of ensuring that its investments stay in its home state of Michigan.   

The project will bring a significant number of high-wage, high-tech jobs to Michigan and further boost the state’s sustainability efforts. Enthermal will change the built environment in the same way wind and solar are changing energy production. With mass adoption, this glass innovation can reduce global carbon emissions by 14 percent. In addition, it will strengthen and secure the company’s future investment in the state going forward.  

Litchfield Township anticipates approval of a property tax abatement in support of the project. For information on careers with LuxWall, visit https://www.luxwall.com/careers/.  

“LuxWall’s success and rapid expansion is further proof that the Detroit Region is a premier innovation and R & D hub across many emerging industries, including clean energy,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership.  

Bollinger Motors Creating 237 High-Wage Jobs in Livonia and Oak Park  

Bollinger Motors, Inc., headquartered in the city of Oak Park, is a commercial electric truck manufacturer. The company was originally launched in New York in 2015, where it manufactured and revealed its first working electric truck prototype. The company received an overwhelming response to its ground-up truck design and moved to Michigan, where it currently employs approximately 70 Michigan residents.   

Bollinger plans to begin production of its first vehicle in the first half of 2024 and expand at a third-party manufacturing operation in Livonia, where it will add machinery and equipment. The company also plans to renovate its Oak Park headquarters in order to accommodate the additional job growth.   

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $44 million and create 237 high-wage jobs, supported by a $3 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The company chose Michigan for the project over a competing site in Indiana due to access to key relationships, the talented workforce, and Michigan’s commitment to the automotive and mobility industries.  

“Bollinger Motors is poised for growth and we’re proud to be focused on expanding our company’s operations as we approach start-of-production,” said Robert Bollinger, founder and CEO of Bollinger Motors. “I appreciate Michigan’s faith in our plan and our product as we seek to electrify America’s fleets.”  

The project builds on the state’s work to position itself as the global leader in the future of mobility and vehicle electrification and will further solidify the company’s presence and future investment in the state. In 2021, Bollinger partnered with Michigan State University, Qnergy Co., and Ingham County on a project to develop a mobile waste-to-electricity solution to allow small- and medium-scale farm operations to convert organic wastes into electricity for electric vehicles or farm equipment.  

Bollinger supports personal growth and offers a variety of training opportunities to its employees, and utilizes Michigan Works! to reach local talent in disadvantaged areas and underrepresented employees.  

“Bollinger Motors is an exciting company that chose Oakland County and Southeast Michigan as the best location for it to emerge as a major EV innovator, and that decision is paying off,” said Maureen Donohue Krauss, president, and CEO of the Detroit Regional Partnership (left). “Our region has the talented workforce, manufacturing know-how, and mobility industry assets that are helping define EV mobility with companies like Bollinger leading the way.”   

Oakland County Michigan Works! is supporting the project through talent recruitment for the newly created positions, and the Detroit Regional Partnership is assisting the company with talent and promotional support. For information on careers with Bollinger, visit https://bollingermotors.com/careers/.  

Magna Creating 500 New Jobs in Auburn Hills  

Magna is a mobility technology company and one of the world’s largest suppliers in the automotive space with a global, entrepreneurial-minded team of over 171,000 employees and an organizational structure designed to innovate like a startup. With 65+ years of expertise, and a systems approach to design, engineering and manufacturing that touches nearly every aspect of the vehicle, the company is positioned to support advancing mobility in a transforming industry. Michigan is Magna’s U.S. corporate home and the state with their largest U.S. footprint. Magna operates 30 facilities in Michigan and employs more than 12,000 Michiganders.  

Magna confirmed it had secured business from GM to supply seat assemblies for certain future EV products. The company plans to construct a new 280,000-square-foot facility in the city of Auburn Hills. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment over $100 million and create over 500 jobs with the support of a $4.25 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The company chose Michigan for the project over competing sites.  

The project builds on the state’s work to position itself as the global leader in the future of mobility and vehicle electrification. The proposed project will also impact the local region with significant redevelopment of the former Oakland County animal shelter that closed in 2017, and will further solidify the company’s presence and future business in the state.  

“The innovative work that Magna is doing to develop high-tech seating for today’s vehicles is exciting and will make life so much easier for families in the future,” said Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. “We welcome Magna’s decision to expand its footprint in Auburn Hills, Oakland County and Michigan to develop the cutting-edge technologies that will transform our cars, trucks, SUVs and vans for generations to come. This expansion in Auburn Hills is further proof that Oakland County and Michigan continue to be a premier spot for the creative and groundbreaking work being done by the automotive industry.”  

The city of Auburn Hills has approved a 50-percent property tax abatement valued at approximately $1 million in support of the project. The MEDC also authorized a State Education Tax abatement valued at $1.1 million to be used in conjunction with the locally approved abatement. For information on careers with Magna, visit https://www.magna.com/company/careers.   

“We are thrilled that Magna has chosen Auburn Hills for their next strategic investment,” said Auburn Hills Mayor Kevin R. McDaniel. “There is a significant request for land in Auburn Hills and Magna, along with General Development, will redevelop the former Oakland County animal shelter into a facility that will help support the future of mobility. Magna’s innovation and advanced mobility technology continues to strengthen the EV footprint in Auburn Hills. This reinvestment in our community is very much appreciated and we look forward to continuing to support Magna’s success into the future.”   

Vantage Plastics Investing $31 Million and Creating 93 Jobs in Bangor Township