Tucson, Albuquerque, Midland:
Midland, MI Area Ranked Top 10 in Nation by Business Facilities Magazine
August 18, 2010
Midland Tomorrow reports that the significant growth of technology manufacturing in the Midland area has been recognized by a major national site selection publication.
Business Facilities magazine has ranked the Midland area third place in their
Top 10 Metro Areas in the nation for Economic Growth Potential in an area with under 200,000 residents; first and second places were Panama City, FL, and Manhattan, KS. In addition, Midland placed third in the
Top 10 Alternative Energy Industry Leaders category, behind Tucson, AZ, and Albuquerque, NM. Midland’s strong showing in alternative energy manufacturing also helped Michigan earn third place on a list of the top ten Alternative Energy Industry Leaders states.
“We’re very pleased that Midland has received this recognition,” said Maureen Donker, Mayor of the City of Midland. “We work hard at making Midland a top location for businesses of all sizes, and this award helps recognize the success of our business community.”
“Over the last several years, Midland has become a hotbed for
alternative energy manufacturing,” said Scott Walker, chief executive
officer of Midland Tomorrow, the economic development organization serving the County of Midland, MI, and all municipalities therein. "We have a cohort of entrepreneurial businesses in all areas from the alternative energy projects of
Midland Solar Applications and
Fulcrum Composites to the energy generation and storage of
Kinetic Wave Power, Advanced Battery Concepts and
Point Hope Energy. Midland also has a host of growing, second-stage clean technology and advanced manufacturing companies, such as
AEGIS Environments, The Apothecary Shoppe Pharmacies, Ingenuity IEQ, Liquid Molding Systems, and the manufacturing efforts of
Michigan Molecular Institute.” Walker noted as well that Midland is the world headquarters of
The Dow Chemical Company and
Dow Corning Corporation, global chemical companies making significant inroads into alternative energy applications.
Business Facilities based their rankings on their evaluation of recent announced projects, strategic development plans, state incentives and investments, industry sector leadership and overall growth potential. According to
Business Facilities’ Editor-in-Chief, Jack Rogers, Midland’s strong showing is directly attributable to the area’s “major surge” in alternative energy initiatives. “
Business Facilities was particularly impressed with Dow’s plans for wind, solar and alternative battery projects and with the state’s commitment of more than $60 million in tax credits,” he said. “We believe manufacturing facilities for DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingles and Dow Kokam Advanced Battery Group’s lithium batteries have tremendous growth potential.”
Earl Shipp, vice president, The Dow Chemical Company’s Michigan Operations, agrees. “Dow’s 113-year history is a continuous cycle of technology innovation,” he said. “We’re pleased that a respected publication like
Business Facilities has recognized our efforts with DOW™ POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingles and the lithium-ion batteries of Dow Kokam Advanced Battery Group, and we’ll continue to work to improve the quality of life for people in The Great Lakes Bay Region and around the world through innovation and science.”
Midland is part of a three-county region focused on alternative energy manufacturing attraction and development. In addition to Dow, Dow Corning Corporation and
Hemlock Semiconductor maintain their corporate headquarters and significant manufacturing plants in the region, and their alternative energy products range from crucial component manufacturing in the industry to new waste disposal systems in their own plants.
“Dow Corning is a global leader in silicon-based materials used in a variety of applications including the renewable energy industry,” said James Smith, Dow Corning’s Midland Site manager. “The business-friendly environment of Midland has allowed the Midland Site to continue to grow, innovate, and maximize our efficiency in new and exciting ways, from new material capacity for the Solar Energy supply chain to the use of thermal oxidizer technology to turn waste materials into energy and re-usable material. Midland is a great place for us to be.”
The rankings in
Business Facilities complement strong efforts in the Great Lakes Bay Region to develop our alternative energy manufacturing cluster. The economic corporations in Midland, Bay and Saginaw Counties are working together to attract alternative energy manufacturers to our area. The fruits of this partnership include the attraction of
Evergreen Solar in Midland and
Suniva and
GlobalWatt in Saginaw, and discussions with other prospects are underway.
For details on the rankings and process,
visit the article on Business Facilities’ Web site.
About Business FacilitiesBusiness Facilities has been the leading source of intelligence on corporate expansion and relocation since 1968. The
Business Facilities brand consistently focuses on innovative, strategic ideas that help C-Level executives make the best location choices. The magazine has 43,000 audited subscribers and 31,000 opt-in e-newsletter readers, with 28,000 unique visitors each month to the
Business Facilities Web site. About Midland TomorrowMidland Tomorrow is the private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) economic development corporation serving the County of Midland, MI, and all municipalities therein. The organization works to improve the quality of life for all Midland County residents by attracting and retaining quality jobs and diversifying the economic base.
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