LANSING – State Representative Mike Simpson (D-Liberty Township) joined with Dowding Industries CEO Chris Dowding and Eaton Rapids Mayor Jamie Davidson today to break ground on a new manufacturing facility in Eaton Rapids that will bring about 358 jobs to the area. Tax credits that Simpson helped arrange through the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) played a key role in convincing the firms to remain in the state.
"Dowding Machining and Sparton Corp. are vital economic engines for our area, and their investments will
jumpstart our economy and provide the good-paying jobs of the 21st century global economy," Simpson said. "By
staying in Michigan, these companies are showing their confidence in the dedicated and highly skilled
workers we have here. This is a win-win situation, and I am honored that I could be part of the process of securing the
tax incentives that helped make this happen."
Dowding Machining
LLC, a new venture of Dowding Industries Inc., will focus on alternative energy, working on machining transmission
housings, components and platforms used in the assembly of wind turbines. The firm will build a new manufacturing
facility in Eaton Rapids, a project that will create 358 new jobs, including 200 directly by the company.
In May, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority board approved a state tax credit valued at more than $1.5 million over 10 years to win Dowding Machining's investment. Dowding said that assistance, offered through the MEDC, was key in the company's decision to choose Michigan instead of a site in Iowa.
"The City of Eaton Rapids is excited about the decision of Dowding Industries to expand in town rather than move out-of-state," Davidson said. "It proves that all the right resources are here in Michigan for tomorrow's high-tech industry. It just takes the coordination of city officials, our state legislator, MEDC, and in this case, Dowding Industries, to pull it off."
Over the life of the tax credit, the Dowding Machining project is expected to generate more than $107 million in personal income for Michigan workers.