The state of Michigan hasn’t had the best of years, but an announcement from a Massachusetts battery manufacturer that it will lcoate a new plant in southeast Michigan was hailed by politicians and labor unions as a major step forward.
A123 Systems’ new plant will build batteries for hybrid cars and other alternative energy uses, which drew wide praise from state officials. The Detroit Free-Press quoted U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow as saying the announcement “is exactly where we need to be in terms of advanced manufacturing. Battery development and battery manufacturing is critical to the auto industry and critical to the next generation of hybrids and plu-in hybrids.