Wyoming's industrial landscape is set to transform significantly with Benteler Automotive's $105 million investment into a new electric vehicle (EV) components plant on Site 36, previously known for its vacant status since General Motors closed its doors there in 2009. According to the release from Benteler cited by WOODTV, this venture promises to bring 147 new jobs to the area, boasting wages ranging from $21.62 to $67.31 an hour, benefits included.
Supporting the company's expansion, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the state have stepped in with a hefty $1.4 million grant via the Michigan Business Development Program and a $395,000 state tax capture, while the local Brownfield TIF is contributing around $1.2 million, Benteler Automotive looks to capitalize on the site's ample space, situating their new 315,000-square-foot plant on a 20-acre portion of the 75-acre terrain, and as Steve Bates from Benteler Automotive Components stated, per WZZM13, "Michigan is at the heart of BENTELER's US automotive operations." Brent Case from The Right Place lauded the Site 36 location as "ideal" for Benteler's operations.
Complementing Benteler's facility, the area will also benefit from the forthcoming Corewell Health Service Center, which claims a 40-acre section of Site 36. Meanwhile, conversations regarding a prospective third business are poised to fill the remainder of the site's expanse, as per a report by WOODTV. Furthermore, across from this burgeoning industrial hub, the 36 Street Marketplace awaits its inauguration, offering a new commercial vibrancy with 24 vendor spots within its 6,000-square-foot spread.
Despite residual contamination challenges at the site, a consequence of its industrial past, Brent Case, as detailed by WTKG, expressed satisfaction over Benteler's choice, underscoring the additional efforts required due to the site's legacy of GM's previous operations; the new plant is just one element in Benteler's broader U.S. market strategy, following hot on the heels of expansions in South Carolina and Louisiana, it's clear that the company is aggressively enhancing its footprint in the EV sector, moving beyond its traditional focus on exhaust systems to now include battery trays and other EV-related products with the production scheduled to commence in 2026.
