Report: Michigan's Standing As Automotive Engineering, Research and Design Leader
MICHauto, an economic development initiative of the Detroit Regional Chamber, has announced the results of an examination of Michigan’s automotive and technical expertise at its annual summit last week.
By combining a list from more than 5,000 individual records, the study found more than 2,200 automotive facilities statewide, including OEMs, suppliers, tool-and-die shops, R&D facilities, and technical centers. MICHauto officials say the numbers reinforces Michigan’s standing as the global leader in automotive engineering, research, and design.
Previously, 375 automotive research and development facilities were frequently sourced as operating in Michigan by the media as well as industry and government leaders. A key objective of the new study was to provide a current data point that reinforces Michigan’s automotive leadership.
“Michigan leads the nation in automotive ‘concept to consumer’ expertise,” says Sandy Baruah, president and CEO for the Chamber. “The new data point provides a clear understanding of the true automotive technical ecosystem in our state and definitively concludes that Michigan is the epicenter of mobility innovation.”
Specifically, Michigan was found to have 42,080 mechanical and 26,660 industrial engineers statewide, the greatest concentration in the U.S, as well as 16 automotive OEMs headquarters. Seventy-six percent of automotive business-funded research and development also occurs in Michigan, for a total of $10.7 billion, while 96 percent of the top 100 automotive suppliers in North America have a presence in Michigan, and 62 are headquartered in Michigan.
Michigan also has 20 institutions with nationally ranked undergraduate engineering programs, and more than 6,600 engineers graduate from Michigan universities annually. Eleven of Michigan’s OEMs assembled 19.4 percent of 2016 U.S. vehicle production, more than any other U.S. state or Canada. Overall, the study found 21 vehicle models assembled in Michigan this year.
Individual records were verified by the Detroit Regional Chamber’s research team through company and university website research. Secondary verification came from job postings, LinkedIn profiles, third-party research sources, WARN notices, expansions, incentive locations, and more.
Companies solely dedicated to aerospace or defense were not used in the report, but those with crossover into the automotive industry were included in the study.
Shenouda, Stephanie. (2017). “Report: Michigan’s Automotive Industry Incledes 2,200+ Facilities”. Retrieved from http://www.dbusiness.com/daily-news/Annual-2017/Report-Michigans-Automotive-Industry-Includes-2200-Facilities/.
For information regarding the 2017 Automobility Career Perception survey visit http://1419891vq14j2fapah1bpghjzyq.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017-Perception-Survey.pdf.
