Governor signs bill to keep local company expanding

SAGINAW COUNTY (WJRT) -- (08/06/08)--Gov. Jennifer Granholm usually signs bills into law in Lansing, but not Wednesday.

Instead, she signed legislation in Mid-Michigan in an effort to entice a company to expand here.

Granholm wants Hemlock Semiconductor to keep expanding in the Saginaw Valley. The newly signed bills would give HSC energy-related tax breaks.

The question now is, will the legislation and Wednesday's symbolic ceremony pay off?

"This is Senate Bill 1268," Granholm said.

That's one of the bills that will give Hemlock Semiconductor tax credits related to energy costs beginning in 2012.

This is a huge project for us," Granholm said. "It's very important that we do this. We signal not just to HSC, but also to the world that we are partnered to win."

The bill-signing ceremony was held at Dow Corning, the parent company of Hemlock Semiconductor. And it was a not-so-subtle attempt to say, when you think of expanding, think of Michigan.

"Doing it right here on the solar panels is a way of signaling to them that we really want this project," Granholm said.

"We hope they feel the love, because we really do appreciate their expansion here and we want them to continue to expand here."

HSC is in the middle of a $1 billion expansion in Saginaw County, which is bringing 1,300 jobs to the region.

It is the world's largest producer of polycrystalline silicon for the semiconductor and solar industries, and was expected to announce another billion-dollar expansion this summer.

"There are a handful of sites under consideration, including the site in Thomas Township and a site in Tennessee. There are many factors going into that decision," said HSC President and CEO Rick Doornbos.

And while it appears that decision is not imminent, one thing is certain: Without these new bills, the Saginaw Valley would have most likely lost out.

"Without this legislation, the energy costs in the state of Michigan and the overall cost structure would have been very challenging for us," Doornbos said.

And that decision will not be made this summer. In fact, it may not be made before the end of the year.

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