Marine products company Navico Group, a division of Brunswick Corp, is creating a metal fabrication center in Lowell, Mich., which is expected to add 80 jobs to the local economy. The company also will create a state-of-the-art battery lab where engineers will develop and test custom power solutions.
Navico Group supplies products for the marine and RV industries. The new facility will use laser and robotic technology for products in the company's Attwood brand. The project received a $480,000 grant from the Michigan Business Development Program.
“As part of that grant they received, there has to be some type of local contribution, so the city council will be considering a tax abatement for the investment," said Lowell City Manager Michael Burns. The city council is expected to approve a 12-year, 50 percent tax abatement to support the project.
The Lowell facility also has a focus on sustainability and is the company’s first to reach zero-waste-to-landfill, meaning 90% of its waste materials are being reduced, reused or otherwise eliminated, a practice the company plans to continue at the site.