This Michigan site is ready-made for any large-scale advanced manufacturer looking for high-powered business potential.
Known for its deep history in manufacturing, Michigan is poised to continue this legacy. Encompassing approximately 1,300 contiguous acres, the Advanced Manufacturing District (AMD) of Genesee County in Mundy Township near Flint is emblematic of the state’s history, and the greenfield site is shovel-ready for high-tech manufacturers looking to construct a large-scale transformative project.
More acreage is planned, with a goal of north of 1,400 acres when the AMD is fully assembled. The site is modeled to serve over a gigawatt of electricity use and 6.0 BCF per year of natural gas consumption.
The AMD has received recognition through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s MI Sites site certification program and received nearly $260 million through the Michigan Strategic Fund.
“Site selection decisions are focused on shovel-ready sites with energy infrastructure ready to go,” says Lindsey McGuirk, director of external engagement — growth at Consumers Energy, Michigan’s biggest electric and natural gas utility. “This site is well-positioned for those that want to move fast.”
A Leading Megasite
Ready for a large energy user, the AMD in Genesee County is a global best-in-class site, its leading attributes being its large size and rectangular shape. It has a water usage capacity of 5 million gallons a day and is served by robust surrounding infrastructure that includes rail access, seven freeway exits on I-75 and I-69 and the nearby Bishop Airport.
“This is a high-quality development — unlike anything we have seen in Genesee County,” says Tyler Rossmaessler, executive director of the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “The state saw the success and the value of the site that we were having and came in full force with a strategic site readiness grant of nearly $260 million to help us fully assemble the site.”
The AMD in Mundy Township is also subject to a zoning mechanism called an “overlay district” to regulate the use on site and ensure that an advanced manufacturer or high-tech company will develop the property.
The soft infrastructure supporting the AMD is also key. The site is within striking distance of University of Michigan–Flint, Kettering University and Mott Community College and within an hour’s drive of three R1 universities (Michigan State University, University of Michigan–Flint and Wayne State University).
“We have the hard infrastructure, but we also have the workforce available to serve the advanced manufacturer that will eventually move to this location,” Rossmaessler says. “We have the workforce and the talent pipeline that exists in our county with available skilled labor and the colleges and universities and then the broader region beyond that. There is a huge labor shed when you are talking Saginaw, Lansing, Ann Arbor and Detroit. They can all flow to this site. And there’s a community that is really interested and dedicated to win projects.”
The project is viewed as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revitalize the surrounding areas as well as a great choice for manufacturers looking for reshoring or nearshoring options, supported by the infrastructure readiness.
“This is going to be transformational for Michigan and our local communities, bringing jobs and investment,” says McGuirk. “This taps into our talent, skilled workforce and heritage as a strong manufacturing state.”
“This taps into our talent, skilled workforce and heritage as a strong manufacturing state.”
— Lindsey McGuirk, Director of External Engagement — Growth at Consumers Energy
Powerful Potential
Consumers Energy is a hand-in-hand partner with the Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance and the state of Michigan to support any project that would like to call the AMD in Mundy Township home.
Despite tech company SanDisk’s decision not to proceed with the project, stakeholders remain confident that the district’s top-of-the-line features and infrastructure will provide a true shovel-ready, accelerated speed to market experience for any advanced manufacturer or large energy user that wants to hit the ground running and have short lead times.
“The news about SanDisk was disappointing for us and the state of Michigan,” Rossmaessler says. “However, we’ve made the best site in America even better because of that effort. We’re looking forward to working with the same vigor and determination on the next project at AMD.”
Consumers Energy has a portfolio of programs available to customers with cost, energy efficiency and sustainability all in mind to provide the best results for project developments. Just after competitive pricing, sustainability comes as a major priority for developers and companies that Consumers Energy serves.
“AMD is thoroughly equipped to serve high-energy-demand customers, and those requiring more than 35 megawatts can take advantage of our large economic development rate that is truly tailored to serve advanced manufacturers’ energy needs,” McGuirk says. “It helps keep operating costs low which is a critical factor in siting decisions.”
The utility company touts a renewable energy program in which customers can participate and sponsor new solar and wind assets local to Michigan. General Motors was the landmark customer that helped the utility build the program and set its criteria. Other program participants include Comcast, Denso Automotive, Walmart, US Signal and 7-Eleven.
“Our clean energy solutions start with our energy efficiency programs,” McGuirk says. “Whenever a new business comes to town, we pair them with an energy engineer right from the start. Together, we review their plans and design an energy-efficienty facility from the ground up. That early collaboration helps them lower long-term operating costs and operate more sustainably, and opens doors to incentives and rebates.”
“We also have our demand response programs,” she adds, “which provide customers money back in their pockets to help support grid reliability.”
This Investment Profile was prepared under the auspices of Consumers Energy. For more information, visit www.ConsumersEnergy.com/AMD
