GLSV was pleased to welcome Michigan Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist to Houghton last week to announce our MEDC grant for the upcoming GLSV factory expansion. We greatly appreciate the support of Governor Whitmer’s office and the State of Michigan to help us grow economic opportunities in the Keweenaw. We also thank the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Works, and the invaluable support at the local level from the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance (KEDA) and of course Franklin Township. The MEDC grant was made possible by the generous contribution from Franklin Township in the form of a tax abatement. We thank everyone involved who helped to make this possible! GLSV looks forward to continued growth and contributions to our local economy for many years to come by providing the career opportunities that keep our small-town family and friends together.
(Below is an excerpt of the official press release from Michigan.gov)
“LANSING, Mich. – Today, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II traveled to the Upper Peninsula to announce two expansion projects in Houghton County representing 90 new jobs and over $10 million in capital investment. Great Lakes Sound & Vibration (GLSV) is expanding their operation in Franklin Township to support existing and future contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. Meanwhile, Loukus Technologies, located in Calumet, is growing their operations to support the company’s ability to quickly increase production capacity to meet rising demand in the defense and energy sectors, specifically, to support newly awarded business to design, manufacture, and deliver a device that is used to improve efficiency in the oil and gas industry.
“Today’s announcements represent incredible news for Michiganders in Franklin Township, Calumet and the Houghton County region. GLSV and Loukus Technologies are respected members of the community. They’re walking the walk when it comes to Making it in Michigan, creating 90 good-paying jobs in our Upper Peninsula,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “I applaud their major contributions to the defense and energy sectors and can’t wait to see what they do next to help our communities thrive.”
“Team Michigan is excited to announce Loukus Technologies and Great Lakes Sound & Vibration’s expansion projects in Houghton County,” said MEDC Senior Vice President of Regional Development Matt McCauley. “As we continue our efforts with the Make it in Michigan economic development strategy, and focusing on People, Places, and Projects, we congratulate these organizations for their ongoing commitment to the Upper Peninsula.”
Great Lakes Sound & Vibration, Inc. is announcing a 26,000-square-foot expansion at their airpark facility that will allow the company to consolidate their manufacturing operations under one roof in Franklin Township in Houghton County. This investment will support additional growth for projects with the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force in addition to many other contractors that build tanks, trucks, ships, and aircraft for the U.S. Department of Defense.
“We are grateful for the MEDC’s partnership on this expansion project that supports our mission to provide complete customer-specific solutions for sound, vibration, and shock problems in the North American defense market,” said GLSV CEO, Steve Mattson. “We are committed to providing rewarding career opportunities in our community to deliver solutions and products that meet or exceed customer and regulatory requirements.”
Today’s announcement will result in $8.5 million in capital investment and the creation of 42 new jobs with starting wages considerably greater than the regional median wage. Support from the Michigan Strategic Fund has been awarded to the company through a Michigan Business Development Program (MBDP) performance-based grant in the amount of $400,000. In addition to today’s expansion announcement, the company continues to have a positive impact on the local manufacturing supply base including outsourcing painting, sewing, machining, laser cutting, and a variety of facility support services that have grown in line with the GLSV’s growth.
“Great Lakes Sound & Vibration is a unique business providing unique solutions to difficult problems at the Department of Defense. They continue their growth by adapting to the ever-changing defense industry needs for new and innovative solutions to sound and vibration as well as new product development,” said Jeff Ratcliffe, Executive Director of the Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance. “We are proud to support GLSV’s investment in our community. This grant will not only help to propel GLSV’s growth but also create 42 good paying jobs in the Keweenaw Peninsula. We are grateful to the MEDC for their continued dedication to fostering business growth and economic development in our community.”
The expansion of GLSV in the Upper Peninsula builds on its years of growth and success in Michigan thanks to critical support from the MEDC, including initial support for its operations in 2019 and subsequent assistance from the state’s APEX Accelerators, which support with government contracting efforts.
Altogether, today’s announcement further exemplifies Michigan’s long-standing leadership in the defense sector with the help and support of the Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation (ODAI). ODAI supports a defense industry that contributes $30 billion in economic activity for Michigan, with more than 166,000 jobs and nearly 4,000 Michigan businesses serving the defense, defense aerospace, and homeland security industries.
In addition to MSF support, Michigan Works! has developed a proposal to meet the talent and workforce needs of the company with an estimated value of $461,320. “
