Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced this week that Corning Inc. has chosen Michigan for a new manufacturing facility. The facility will be dedicated to the creation of solar components with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.
Corning, on behalf of its wholly owned subsidiary, Solar Technology LLC, said it plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Saginaw County with an investment of up to $900 million. The project is expected to create over 1,100 jobs.
Corning said it chose Michigan for the project over competing sites in the Midwest and Northeast because of the state's talent pool and commitment to onshore critical clean energy supply chains.
To support the project, the Michigan Strategic Fund said it approved a $68 million performance-based grant through the Strategic Outreach and Reserve Fund (SOAR), a 15-year tax exemption valued at $12.3 million, and a $29 million grant to Thomas Township for public infrastructure, road improvements, and related expenses.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation said the project would continue the state's growth in the renewable energy sector. "With more than 120,000 workers, Michigan leads the Midwest in the number of clean energy workers," the corporation said, with more expected as renewables become a bigger part of the electric grid.
The new facility is expected to be producing components for panels in 2025.
