Williams International, a small turbine engine manufacturer based in Pontiac, is gearing up to expand its campus onto property that once hosted a local movie studio. The privately held company has already converted parts of the old studio lot into engineering and production space, and the next phase would add more room for research and development along with advanced manufacturing. Taken together, the move marks another sizeable industrial bet on southeast Oakland County's manufacturing corridor.
According to reporting from Crain's Detroit Business, the planned work would sit on the footprint of the former Michigan Motion Picture Studios. The outlet reports that Williams is still finalizing the details and has not yet put a firm timeline on the project.
Company materials list 2000 Centerpoint Parkway as Williams' world headquarters, where former sound stages now hold engine R&D and advanced manufacturing, according to Williams International. A separate inspection report from EGLE details plating, etching, and other metal-treatment operations that are now permitted on the site.
From sound stages to engines
Design coverage from Officelovin' shows how Williams transformed the former studio sound stages into roughly 50,000 square feet of manufacturing cells and modern office space. City council records from 2017 and 2018 indicate the company committed to a multi-hundred-million-dollar investment and a multi-hundred-position hiring pledge when it relocated, underscoring how the studio conversion has been central to its Pontiac play.
Local jobs and training
The state's Going PRO talent fund award list shows Williams recently received a grant tied to manufacturing training in Oakland County, a sign the company is building up local hiring capacity. Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity records list Williams International among FY 26 recipients.
Regional ripple
The expansion talk comes as other manufacturers add capacity in and around Pontiac. Industry outlets reported in March that FANUC America plans a large new production facility nearby, reinforcing a growing automation and aerospace cluster in Oakland County. That broader buildup could help Williams tap into a denser supplier base and attract more skilled workers.
What to watch next
Details on square footage, job counts and timing are still early. Crain's Detroit Business reports that the plan is still being finalized and that public filings or city approvals are likely the next moves. Keep an eye on planning commission agendas, permit applications and any industrial facilities or tax incentive requests that will spell out how big this studio-to-turbine expansion will really be.
