Northwest Wayne News

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took advantage of a recent visit to the Lear Corp. in Flint to tout Michigan's place as one of the world leaders when it comes to manufacturing.

Lear, which manufactures automotive seats, was founded in 1917 in Detroit. Its headquarters are currently in Southfield, and it expanded into Flint in 2017, Whitmer's office said in a release.

"It's an exciting time for the industry and for Lear," Lear President and CEO Ray Scott said in the release. "With a 100-year plus history, we are eager to help Michigan continue as the hub of automotive excellence by supplying world-class products for our customers, growing jobs for residents and strengthening our community presence."

The expansion in Flint consisted of building a 160,000-square-foot plant, Whitmer's office reported. The $29.3 million project led to the creation of 525 jobs. The state supported the plan by providing a $4.35-million Michigan Business Development Program grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

"As we continue to grow Michigan's economy, Lear Corporation's continued investment in Flint, and across the state, underscores the strength of our robust automotive ecosystem and supply chain and our longstanding heritage as a global manufacturing leader," Whitmer said in the release.

Lear's work is driving the state's reputation as a global leader in the mobility and automotive manufacturing segment, as 96 of North America's top 100 automotive suppliers can be found in Michigan, Whitmer's office reported. Many of those, 71, have their headquarters in the state.

"These goals become reality only when you have great teamwork and true collaboration among Governor Whitmer, the Michigan Legislature, local municipalities, and our union partners," Scott said with respect to continued growth. "We are honored to be part of this growth and change in Michigan."