Politics
Major Technology Firm Announces Hundreds Of New Manufacturing Jobs In Key State
Multinational technology manufacturing firm Corning Inc. announced that it will be increasing its investment in Michigan, a move that is expected to generate hundreds of high-paying manufacturing jobs for Michiganders.
The firm is ramping up its investment in Saginaw County, Michigan from $900 million to $1.5 billion, which is projected to generate an additional 400 “high-paying advanced manufacturing” roles at the facility. This will raise the total number of jobs at the facility to 1,500, Fox Business reported.
The facility will specialize in solar-related products, as company executives have pointed to increased demand for American-made products in the energy sector.
“We are proud to meet the increasing demand for US-sourced solar products by accelerating the ramp of our advanced manufacturing assets and support the nation’s priority of domestic energy security,” chairman and chief executive officer Wendell P. Weeks said in a statement.
“Corning has a long, proud history in Michigan, and we’re excited to expand our footprint here by increasing our investment and creating more advanced manufacturing jobs that pay significantly above the regional median,” he added.
AB Ghosh, Corning vice president and general manager of solar technologies and chairman and CEO of Hemlock Semiconductor, said the move will help to further “secure the U.S. energy supply chain.”
The announcement, which was shared by an official Trump Administration X account, is projected to provide a huge boost to Saginaw County and its roughly 190,000 residents. Executives have announced plans for construction in Richland Township, while the effort has had over $100 million in grants cleared in 2024 through the public Michigan Strategic Fund, Fox Business reported.
Starting wages are expected to exceed the median wage for the region, while employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
“Corning has a long, proud history in Michigan, and today they are expanding their footprint here with a new manufacturing facility creating over 1,100 good-paying jobs,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said when the facility was initially announced in February of last year. “With an investment of up to $900 million in Saginaw County, Corning chose Michigan for this facility because of our talent pool and commitment to being the best state to build an American-made clean energy future.”
Corning executives credited the increased investment to an uptick in demand for U.S.-manufactured goods in recent months. “The company’s increased manufacturing capacity will enable Corning to supply high-quality solar wafers and help strengthen the domestic solar supply chain with industry-leading solar manufacturers,” the company said.
