July 1, 2022 Contact: Press@michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Announces Business Expansion Creating 24 Manufacturing Jobs, Generating $8 Million in Investment in Flint
LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce that plastic recycling company Island Plastics will create 24 manufacturing jobs in Flint with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.
“This investment by Island Plastics will create 24 good-paying manufacturing jobs in Flint and demonstrate our commitment to attracting and growing businesses that create opportunities and demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices that ensure long-term economic growth,” said Governor Whitmer. “Together, we will continue to put Michiganders first and invest in our talented manufacturing workforce and innovative businesses so they can thrive. Right now Michigan’s economy is booming. Our future is bright, and investments like this from Island Plastics will help us continue to move our country forward.”
Island Plastics, LLC is a subsidiary of ACI Plastics, Inc., (ACI) a Flint-based post-industrial plastics recycling company. ACI plans to use its experience in the plastics separation business to integrate into the post-consumer plastics industry. As a result, Island Plastics will recycle the Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) material after use.
ACI plans to invest in an existing facility in the city of Flint to build a state-of-the-art system to recycle post-consumer LDPE material for resale to a variety of industries including energy, automotive and consumer goods. The company anticipates processing 25 million pounds of waste annually by reusing this plastic.
The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $8 million, with a $150,000 grant from the Michigan Business Development Program. Michigan was selected for the project over a competing site in Ohio.
“This project is an exciting win for Flint and the entire state and underscores our ongoing commitment to building a cleaner future for our children and grandchildren,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., MEDC executive director and president and chairman of Michigan Strategic. Fund. We are grateful to the Governor and legislators for their continued support of the Michigan Business Development Program. We are proud to join our partners at Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance and the City of Flint as we celebrate the expansion of Island Plastics and look forward to working together to grow, add jobs and provide greater opportunities for our friends and neighbors.”
“We are excited that ACI Plastics, Inc. has decided to expand operations in Flint as it continues to grow in the post-consumer plastics recycling industry,” said Tyler Rossmaessler, CEO of Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance. “Our team will continue to work side by side with government partners and companies like ACI Plastics, Inc. in order for Flint & Genesee County is the place for them to grow.”
“The city of Flint is excited to see this expansion. Flint is open for business and we hope opportunities like this will encourage other businesses to come to Flint and keep their businesses here,” said City of Flint Economic Development Director Samantha Fountain.
The project will establish the company’s presence and future investments in Michigan. Like ACI, Island Plastics will support the personal development of its employees and allow them to grow within themselves. The company offers benefits to its employees and will use local non-profit organizations to recruit. Individuals interested in a career with Island Plastics should visit https://www.aciplastics.com/careers/.
The City of Flint provided a dedicated package of concierge services at an estimated value of $11,059.
Today’s announcement builds on other recent Michigan Strategic Fund support for projects in the Flint area, including Governor Whitmer’s July 2021 announcement that a new co-op urban grocery store will soon be coming to Flint’s north side with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund . Intended to provide area residents with much-needed, affordable and healthy food options, the project is expected to revitalize the long-vacant building and help address health concerns in North Flint’s documented “food desert.”
In October 2021, Governor Whitmer announced two business expansions in the Flint region that are expected to create 424 new jobs and generate a total of $23 million in private investment with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund. Projects included the expansion of supply chain management services provider NorthGate in the city of Burton, creating 374 jobs and investing $13 million; and a new manufacturing facility in Grand Blanc Township by global auto supplier DAG Technology, where it would invest $10 million and create 50 jobs.
Additionally, in November 2021, Allegiant Air announced that it is establishing a new operating base at Flint Bishop International Airport, with a $200,000 Jobs Ready Michigan performance-based grant from the Michigan Strategic Fund. The project is expected to generate total capital investment of US$77 million and create 88 high-paying jobs as it brings new business and economic activity to the region.
“Team Michigan is committed to a holistic approach to economic development that puts people in every corner of the state first,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., executive director of MEDC and president and chairman of the Michigan Strategic Fund. “Every day, we work to win projects and develop opportunities that support Michigan’s small, risk-taking entrepreneurs and global enterprises. The job remains; however, the expanded economic opportunity is increasingly being felt in every single region and community of our great state.”
