LANSING – State Representative Dudley Spade (D-Tipton) today announced that the Ohio-based Consolidated Biscuit Company (CBC) will be expanding their operations with a new manufacturing center in Tecumseh. The $12 million investment will be CBC's first in Michigan and will create an estimated 1,158 new jobs. Joint efforts by the State of Michigan and the City of Tecumseh convinced the company, which will utilize the former Tecumseh Products facility, to choose Michigan over a competing site in Kentucky.
"By locating in Lenawee County, the Consolidated Biscuit Company is illustrating what we residents have always known: Lenawee County is a great place to live, work, and raise a family," Representative Spade said. "I want to especially thank the City of Tecumseh and all our partners for working with us at the state level to make this project a reality and bring these jobs right here to our community. The success of this venture is not only another great step forward in rebuilding our state, but a message to businesses and a call to entrepreneurs across this country and the world. Lenawee County and Michigan are open and ready to compete for your business."
At the center of the winning proposal is a ten year state tax credit through the Michigan Economic Growth Authority Board (MEGA) at the recommendation of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). In addition to the tax credit, which is valued at $5.41 million, the MEDC is also making job training funds of up to $125,000 available to CBC through the Economic Development Job Training program. For its part, the City of Tecumseh is in the process of considering a 12-year, $867,000 local tax abatement.
Over the course of the tax credit, the project is expected to create over $372 million in income for Michigan workers. According to an MEDC analysis, the investment by CBC will produce 558 indirect jobs in addition to the 500 jobs that the company is creating directly.