Its an empty warehouse now. But Capitol Region Airport Authority officials are hopeful the Port Lansing Global Logistics Centre will attract millions of dollars in private investment and attract international business
Lansing airport officials say a new expansion will help spur international business in mid-Michigan.
Capitol Region Airport officials officially opened their new “Port Lansing” foreign trade zone today. Goods that come into the trade zone are exempt from customs tariffs and merchandise that's shipped from the zones is exempt from duty payments.
Robert Selig is the president of the Capitol Region Airport Authority. He says the foreign trade zone designation will give mid-Michigan businesses a chance to get involved in international trade.
Governor Rick Snyder said this afternoon his office is planning a trade mission to Asia.
Governor Snyder went on an 8-day trip to China, South Korea and Japan last fall. He says two new economic investments – one in Ann Arbor and one in Saginaw – are a direct result of that trip. Now he’s planning to go back to Asia to strengthen business ties there.
Ford Motor Company celebrated the official opening of its Ford Thailand Manufacturing (FTM) plant in Rayong, Thailand. It's the company's second plant in Thailand.
The $450 million passenger vehicle manufacturing plant "will serve as the foundation for Ford’s plan to introduce eight new vehicles to the ASEAN region by mid-decade," according to a company press release.
The ASEAN region includes the countries of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and VietNam.
Ford officials said no other auto company has invested more in Thailand over the last five years:
“The opening of this new, world-class facility is the latest example in our aggressive growth plan for this region, which represents Ford’s largest industrial expansion in half-a-century,” said Joe Hinrichs, president of Ford Asia Pacific and Africa. “The world-class One Ford vehicles produced here will be part of our plan to launch 50 new vehicles and powertrains in Asia Pacific and Africa by mid-decade.”
Ford officials said the new facility in Thailand includes "one of the world's fastest stamping presses, and the latest in automotive manufacturing robot technologies. The plant is capable of producing 6 different vehicles simultaneously.
This allows the company to bring new vehicles to market faster, and test new vehicles while maintaining full production speed.
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