On a recent visit to Mississippi, I was struck by the state’s similarities with Michigan. Of particular interest is Mississippi’s focus on the auto industry.
Granted, there are many differences. The weather is typically much warmer, (but it ws the same temperature as in Michigan, about 93 degrees). The food is different (I ate all my vegtables because they were fried), and the accent is different.
Beyond that, the two states are very similar. In fact, when driving on Interstate 55 headed for Jackson, you’d swear you were headed for the Mackinac Bridge because of the trees, especially the Souther Pines (Michigan’s State Tree).
Another similarity is the auto industry. Mississippi is home to a new $1 billion Toyota manufacturing plant. The reasons given by Toyota for locating the plant in Mississippi were many (economic incentives and the like, the same things all the other competing states offered, including Michigan). The two resons that stood out most prominately were the states technical manufacturing labor pool (left over from the furniture industry) and the “constant engagement” the state’s leadership provided to Toyota during the selection process.
Michigan had hoped to land this deal. But, while we have the skilled work force (probably the best in the nation when it comes to manufacturing, especially automobiles), we somehow did not demonstrate the willingness well enough. Probably one of the nails in our coffin was a Grand Rapids union demonstration that took place during the Michigan Auto show in February 2006.
Today Mississippi’s new plant is under construction employing thousands of skilled technical workers (and will employe 2000 manufacturing workers). Additionally, a new $180 million parts supplier plant is being built in Jackson, Mississippi to support the new manufacturing plant.
But Michigan is landing new deals both inside the automotive sector (such as the new Chrysler Plant) and outside the automotive sector. Take the new $1.0 billion expansion of the Hemlock Semiconductor Plant in Saginaw County. It’s not automotive, but it is high tech (and high pay).
So, the automotive industry continues to boom, just in a different place. Michigan will eventually boom again, in the same places with different industries.
And if you still want to work in the auto industry, but are tired of snow and unions, consider a move to Mississippi. It’s a lot like Michigan.
