Meet Three International Companies Who Chose the Detroit Region for First U.S. Presence
With support from the Detroit Regional Partnership (DRP), three small- to medium-sized international companies are establishing their first U.S. presence in the Detroit Region as they look to expand their Industry 4.0 operations.
The companies – from Canada, France, and Norway – are part of the smart manufacturing, tech, defense, and advanced mobility industries and help comprise five first quarter DRP project wins that are expected to create more than 60 jobs and $64 million in investment.
Check out these exciting innovators bringing cutting-edge technology to the 11-county Detroit Region.
Akimbo Technologies – A Canadian cybersecurity company serving the automotive and defense industries, Akimbo Technologies is opening in Macomb County’s International Landing Zone.
The Partnership Connection: The DRP met company representatives at the AutoTech Week and connected them with Michigan Defense Center to explore the strong defense industry cluster in Macomb.
Stirweld – A French startup, Stirweld specializes in friction stir welding equipment for CNC machines supplying companies in the automotive, space, aerospace and metal working industries. The company is opening office space in Rochester Hills.
The Partnership Connection: The company began exploring the Detroit Region after receiving outreach from the DRP’s brand awareness campaign.
wheel.me – A Norwegian robotics company that produces smart wheels that bring autonomous mobility to industrial environments, wheel.me serves businesses in manufacturing, health care, and logistics. It is locating in Michigan Central innovation center.
The Partnership Connection: The DRP assisted wheel.me with site selection, incentives, talent and other support in navigating the Detroit Region.
“These companies are all innovators in industry 4.0 and chose the Detroit Region as the best place to establish their first U.S. location — that speaks volumes to our innovative ecosystem,” said Will Butler, vice president of business development with the Detroit Regional Partnership. “The beauty is they all chose the region for slightly different reasons, whether to be close to their customer base or to connect with other like-minded innovators.”