City of Beaverton Grant
Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics in Beaverton manufactures fluid-handling components and assemblies used in bio-pharmaceutical and medical processes worldwide. The company is more than doubling the size of their facility from 61,250 square feet to 148,750 square feet to meet the increased demand for its products. The Beaverton location was selected over competing sites in the United States, France and China.
"I am pleased that we were able to work with Saint-Gobain and our local partners to support the transportation needs of this company's expansion," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said. "This underscores the link between transportation investments and economic development. As a state, we need to invest more in our roads so that employees have safe routes to work and companies have unimpeded access to markets."
As part of its expansion, Saint-Gobain is reconfiguring its campus and establishing new routes for its freight shipments. While the new route provides more convenient access into Saint-Gobain's campus, the condition of both roads presented an obstacle to the company's expansion plans.
The City of Beaverton will reconstruct Glidden Road from M-18 to Terry Diane Street. Additionally, the city will resurface Terry Diane Street from Glidden Road to the company entrance on Terry Diane Street, approximately 1,325 feet south of Glidden Road. This roadwork will enable Saint-Gobain to proceed with their $17.1-million expansion, resulting in 66 new full-time positions over the next three years.
The grant is the result of a collaborative effort with the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to attract the expansion. Additional expansion-related roadwork is being funded by a grant from the EDA and a legislative earmark.
The overall cost of this project is $808,260. The TEDF Category A grant share of the project is $484,956, or 60 percent, with the City of Beaverton providing the remaining $323,304 in matching funds.
City of Coldwater Grant
Envirolite is a manufacturer of foam-based products for both consumer and commercial users, including the energy, flooring, marine, medical and recreational industries. The company is proposing a $3.2-million, 70,000-square-foot expansion of manufacturing and warehousing space. The investment will result in the creation of 30 new jobs.
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Sekisui Voltek, a subsidiary of Seksui Chemical Co. of Japan, is a manufacturer of lightweight, flexible foam used for a variety of consumer and industrial users, including the automotive and medical sectors. To increase efficiency, competitiveness and business opportunities, the company proposes to close another company facility in Massachusetts and expand in Coldwater. A $13.8-million investment in equipment, facility and technology improvements will result in 22 new jobs and 10 existing employees transferring into the state.
Both companies are located on Allen Avenue, south of Race Street. In addition to trucks queuing at the intersection with Race Street, blocking some entrance drives to the facilities, Allen Avenue is in poor condition. To address these problems, the city will resurface Allen Avenue, adding new gravel shoulders and making drainage improvements along the roadway. A new center left-turn lane will be constructed at the intersection with Race Street and a dedicated right-turn lane will be added to eastbound Race Street at Allen Avenue.
The total cost of the project is $281,835. The TEDF Category A share of the project is $169,101, or 60 percent, with the City of Coldwater providing the remaining $112,734 in matching funds.
