ACP June 2011 - Sterling Heights
June 21, 2011(Presentations are available to ACP members by clicking here).
The Automotive Communities Partnership held its June meeting at the Chrysler Group’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP).
SHAP was scheduled to be closed after the Chrysler bankruptcy. Based on advice from CAR, and using CAR’s Task Force template, a large collaboration uniting the local community, labor, federal, state and county entities, the local school district and community college, the utility, and the Italian Consulate was created. This collaboration worked very quickly to respond to Chrysler’s needs and interests. Within a short period of time, this collaborative effort was able to prove the value that SHAP offered to the new Chrysler Group, which in turn, made a commitment for new product and an $850 million investment into the plant.
The meeting agenda featured presentations by the city manager for Sterling Heights and the mayor of Sterling Heights, both of whom described the importance of the plant and the new investment to the city, as well as the process by which they had turned around a ‘close’ decision to a ‘new investment’ decision. Brian Glowiak from Chrysler and Christine Roeder from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) also spoke about the success of the plant and its contribution to Michigan.
Bernard Swiecki from CAR gave an industry and product update. Kim Hill (CAR) provided a short presentation on the importance of the proposed New International Trade Crossing (NITC) to regional economic growth. NITC is a proposed new bridge linking Detroit and Windsor – which currently have only one tunnel and one privately-owned bridge connecting them.
Following the morning presentations, guests were invited to attend the groundbreaking for a new paint shop at the plant – a first-hand look at the yields of the new investment! Following the groundbreaking and lunch, ACP members and guests were treated to a tour of the assembly plant.
Click here to view photos from the tour.
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