MORAINE, OH – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) spoke at the grand opening ceremony for the Fuyao plant in Moraine. Fuyao invested $450 million to build the auto glass production facility, and the factory employs more than 2,000 workers. Since 2008, Brown has been a steadfast advocate for the redevelopment of the former automotive plant and has worked with local, state, and federal officials to secure more than $25 million in federal resources to aid in the clean-up and redevelopment of the site, making it possible to create jobs for Ohio workers.

“Today’s grand opening is a huge win for the entire Miami Valley and for Ohio manufacturing,” said Brown. “We worked together at all levels of government – federal, state, local – to bring new life to this historic plant, and support some 2,000 new jobs. This is how we create the manufacturing jobs of the future.”

Following the plant’s closure in 2008, Brown helped secure more than $187,000 in Economic Development Administration (EDA) funds for the City of Moraine. In April 2009, Brown announced more than $8.3 million in National Emergency Grant (NEG) assistance from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to Ohio auto communities including Moraine.

In May 2010, the Obama Administration announced more than $25.8 million in environmental clean-up funds for Moraine. Those initial funding sources helped prime the site for redevelopment efforts.

In October 2010, Brown sent a letter to Al Koch, CEO of Motors Liquidation Company (MLC), urging MLC to work with local and state officials on the sale of the plant to a developer seeking to breathe new life into the facility and generate jobs. That request set in motion the purchase of the site by Stu Lichter, founder and principal of Industrial Realty Group.

Friday also marked National Manufacturing Day, a day to celebrate manufacturing and encourage young people to learn more about the manufacturing industry. Brown’s office participated in events across Ohio that showcase one of our state’s most important industries.

Brown has been a strong supporter of American manufacturing. He authored the Revitalizing American Manufacturing and Innovation (RAMI) Act, which was signed into law in December 2014. The bill created a National Network of Manufacturing Innovation made up of advanced manufacturing hubs to bring together industry, universities and community colleges, federal agencies, and all levels of government to leverage resources and spur innovation. Brown’s office also hosts a series of Manufacturing Camps each summer to get a new generation of Ohioans interested in manufacturing jobs.

 

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