Strategic vision goal of 6 jobs created by year-end surpassed — 32 jobs created

HOUGHTON, Michigan (August 9, 2012) — During a Keweenaw Economic Development Alliance membership meeting last January, MTEC SmartZone CEO, Marilyn Clark announced a new strategic plan to create 750 jobs in 10 years. In that plan, projections included six jobs created by December 2012. MTEC SmartZone has already exceeded their goal, reporting 32 jobs created to date.

“The vision to create 750 jobs in 10 years is the result of intensive strategic planning. Last year, a planning committee met over the course of five months to develop smart strategies for MTEC SmartZone’s future. We developed smart strategies for our three focus areas; start-ups, expansion and the attraction of Fortune 500 companies. Our results so far this year confirm we are headed in the right direction,” Clark says.

The biggest contributor to job growth numbers this year was an international logistics company opening an office in Houghton, which immediately created 12 jobs. This past May, Dematic opened the doors to their new satellite engineering office inside Lakeshore Center. They will utilize Michigan Technological University student engineering talent to support engineers in their Grand Rapids, Michigan, office.

It isn’t just large corporations creating jobs in Houghton this year. Talon, an MTEC SmartZone company, recently introduced a new infrared technology that helps construction companies and municipalities detect highway bridge decay. Last year was a great success for Talon — they sold into the marketplace quickly. As a result, Talon’s president added six employees to their team to support the infrared software.

The remaining 14 jobs created were spread throughout other technology start-up companies. In addition, MTEC SmartZone added a few support staff positions to support their growth. Great things are happening at MTEC SmartZone!

MTEC SmartZone will soon announce a new website which will feature a “Job Ticker,” so the public can track new technology jobs created in the Keweenaw.

For more information on MTEC SmartZone, please call 906-487-7000.