I think that Florida has more upside potential than Michigan in the next couple decades.[/quote]
Brian: I wouldn’t be too sure about that. We do a lot of work with the Army’s TACOM/TARDEC divisions out of Warren, MI, and we’re seeing more and more engineering and manufacturing operations returning.
University of Michigan has an excellent small business and tech incubator program, and they’re spinning companies off at a rapid clip.
I also think the disaster in Japan will push certain manufacturing operations back to the US, specifically high-skill manufacturing, machining and tool & die operations. There are also rumblings from companies in China complaining about rising costs, lack of qualified workforce and management and poor (to non-existent) quality control.
Don’t be too surprised to see certain manufacturing hubs in the Midwest start to make something of a comeback. It won’t be like the heyday of Detroit like the 1950s and 1960s, but its a start.
