Norcross, Ga.-based Suniva Inc. will invest $12.5 million in its second U.S. manufacturing plant in Saginaw Township to produce solar cells and modules that power everything from water treatment plants to grocery stores.
“The U.S. market has spoken and has clearly stated that it values a company that was born in the USA, is owned in the USA, and builds high-quality products here,” says John Baumstark, chairman and CEO of Suniva.
Baumstark says the company chose Michigan over competing sites in Mississippi and Georgia. Construction is expected to start in August and will create 350 new jobs.
Suniva was awarded a $2.5-million performance-based grant from the Michigan Business Development Program for the factory, expected to be operational by the end of this year. Saginaw Township officials also has offered the company a property tax abatement.
“Early on, Suniva identified the Great Lakes Bay Region as a strategic location for its continued expansion due to our highly-skilled workforce,” says JoAnn Crary, president of Saginaw Future, a public-private alliance of local businesses. “To attract such an industry leader is a strong testament to the quality of our people, and the commitment of our region and Michigan to the growth and expansion of our solar industry cluster.”
