Rebranding Michigan

Wind energy takes center stage at Cobo: The work week in links

2009-11-07T11:00:02Z

The week of Nov. 1: Gov. Jennifer Granholm pitches Michigan to wind energy companies, the implications of the UAW's rejection of concessions floated by Ford, and the life science industry weighs venture capital investment at a conference in Kalamazoo.

President Obama signs unemployment benefit extension measure into law

2009-11-06T21:49:31Z

The move, which was expected, could help 100,000 Michigan residents whose benefits will be exhausted by the end of the year.

Auto supplier Sellner-Behr to hire 25 workers in Comstock Park, Michigan

2009-11-06T21:27:36Z

Sellner-Behr Corp. has added a $1 million polyester topcoat application machine to accommodate the project to its 125,000 square-foot factory in Alpine Township, the Grand Rapids Press reports. The township board has approved a 12-year tax break worth $24,000 for the equipment and other investments totaling $1.3 million.

Allen Park, Michigan's Unity Studios scores production company owned by former Pistons forward Dale Davis

2009-11-06T20:29:00Z

The announcement follows a recent television news report that cast doubt over whether the project would ever materialize. A spokesman for the studio on Friday said the report was "completely false" and said the company has moved into the former building.

Sales, recruitment, technology, programmer job openings in Ann Arbor, Port Huron, Auburn Hills, Michigan

2009-11-06T18:21:38Z

New postings on Ann Arbor SPARK's jobs board from the past week include positions with the University of Michigan, SUR Energy and mobile phone app developer Mobatech.

3 expanding and hiring manufacturers in Lapeer and Manistee, Michigan get state road grants

2009-11-06T16:42:21Z

All three companies – Kamax LP in Lapeer and Mariah Power and Amptech Inc. in Manistee – plan to hire as part of the expansion plans. Together, the companies plan to create nearly 700 new jobs, Gov. Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

Higher U.S. unemployment rate of 10.2% for October a discouraging sign for Michigan

2009-11-06T15:22:18Z

The Great Lake State, of course, had the nation's highest unemployment rate for September at 15.3 percent. And economists say a national recovery must occur to lift Michigan's economic boat. Yet there was little sign of that happening from the Labor Department report.

Evergreen Solar jobs in Midland, Michigan 'totally unaffected' by China move, spokesman says

2009-11-06T01:50:54Z

Evergreen Solar's decision to offshore assembly work to China from a publicly subsidized new factory in Massachusetts won't affect its commitment to its new facility in Midland, a company spokesman said Thursday.

Borders Group to close 8 Michigan Waldenbooks stores; 1,500 jobs cut nationwide

2009-11-05T21:57:34Z

The list of stores the book retailer anticipates closing includes locations in Adrian, Alpena, Ann Arbor, Birch Run, Dearborn, Ft. Gratiot, Portage and Saginaw. Some Borders Express and Borders Outlet stores are among the expected casualties.

Evergreen Solar to move Massachusetts assembly work to China, but effect on plant in Midland, Michigan unclear

2009-11-05T21:30:39Z

The move comes little more than a year after the company opened its factory in Devens, Mass. with help from $58.6 million in aid from that state. Evergreen in 2008 won $5.7 million in combined state and city tax incentives to open a $55 million plant in Midland, where it said it would employ 101 workers within five years.

House approves unemployment benefit extension; Obama expected to sign law Friday

2009-11-05T20:26:44Z

The legislation will give eligible jobless Michigan residents an extra 20 weeks of benefits. The bill also contains an extension to next spring of an $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, and it contains a $6,500 credit for new homebuyers if they have lived in a home for at least five years.

Michigan Technological University hiring 20 advanced energy and health researchers

2009-11-05T19:48:25Z

The university plans to hire up to 10 faculty in an initiative that focuses on next-generation energy systems through the 2010-11 academic year and another 10 in Health: Basic Sciences, Technologies and Medical Informatics.

Nukes and Michigan: A golden opportunity to create jobs?

2009-11-05T19:11:40Z

I've heard a number of energy executives bemoan the inability to source certain key components for generating or transmitting electricity from Michigan suppliers. Some have also said a lack of a U.S. supply base forces them to source some nuclear-energy components from overseas manufacturers.

St. Clair, Michigan renewable energy manufacturer to hire for open positions at job fairs Nov. 10 and 12

2009-11-05T17:14:36Z

Energy Components Group LLC is hiring skilled operators, skilled craftsmen, laborers and for clerical, technical and sales positions. The company, which was created in 2008 to diversify from the automotive industry, is a supplier of precision-machined components, fabrications and assemblies. The company purchased a 71,000 square-foot building in St. Clair.

$1.15M in federal CDBG grants to support 3 West Michigan manufacturers, spur 119 new jobs

2009-11-05T16:15:14Z

Three federal grants totaling a combined $1.15 million will help support a pair of manufacturing expansion projects in Montcalm County and help an agricultural equipment manufacturer in Marshall diversify into wind turbine towers.

SBA lending: Down sharply in FY 2009

2009-11-05T16:00:06Z

U.S. Small Business Administration lending picked up in Michigan in recent months, though it remained far below the level of the previous fiscal year.Lending under the SBA’s primary 7(a) program declined 42 percent in the number of loans, to 1,133,...

Senate approves measure to extend unemployment benefits; Michigan would get an extra 20 weeks

2009-11-05T15:09:10Z

Once the legislation is finalized and the U.S. Department of Labor issues new rules for the extension, state officials will conduct a sweep of the jobless database to determine who has exhausted their benefits, Isotalo said. Those eligible for the extension will receive a letter informing them how to re-certify for extended benefits.

HealthCalls: Are you keeping up with the marketplace?

2009-11-05T13:00:14Z

SanchezIf you’re a company that keeps up with market trends, then those annual surveys of employee health benefits that come out from time to time hold plenty of data you’ll want to consider.Because, as Joe Ektsrom of The Campbell Group...

Update: Senate votes to move ahead on unemployment benefit extension

2009-11-04T21:38:05Z

The Detroit News reports that Gov. Jennifer Granholm's office in Washington said the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency won't begin payments to displaced workers whose benefits have been exhausted until mid-December. That's even if the measure is approved this week by the Senate and House and signed by President Obama.

State welfare workers tell Michigan House committee of 'desperate situation' as caseloads overwhelm workers

2009-11-04T20:41:15Z

State welfare workers from the Department of Human Services told a House committee Wednesday they are threatened by angry clients and struggle with lax security as demand surges amid rising job losses.