Ypsilanti approves Ford Rawsonville plant for battery pack work

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Change is coming to the Ford's Rawsonville plant in Ypsilanti, however, the full implications of that change are getting hard to nail down. Nevertheless, the signs are good ones.

The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees held a public hearing Tuesday night on exempting the manufacturing facility on 10300 Textile Road from new personal property taxes. What that means for the future of the plant is still to be determined.

The plant is in line to build battery packs for electric cars, according to a story in the Detroit Free Press in April. Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo declined to answer questions about the project, referring them to Ford's spokespeople. Ford declined to comment on the activity beyond this statement: "We are excited about our plans to bring battery pack development and assembly to Michigan and will share more details soon,"

If that holds true it will mean a new economy future for hundreds of jobs at the old economy stalwart. A letter from the UAW local for the plant says the facility has been selected to make hybrid battery packs for the Michigan Assembly plant. How much investment and how many jobs are still being worked out, according to the letter.

Sometimes vague news can be good news too.

Source: Ypsilanti Township, Ford and UAW
Writer: Jon Zemke