TROY – The fourth quarter of 2016 ended on a high note for Automation Alley, Michigan’s leading technology business association, as its international business team conducted successful trade missions in both Cuba and Mexico and assisted in attracting Chinese robotics company DUO Robotic Solutions Inc. to Southeast Michigan.
Automation Alley traveled to Mexico with 11 Michigan companies in October and lead a historic exploratory trade mission to Cuba with four Michigan companies in November, opening the door to new, high growth markets abroad.
“Our trade mission to Cuba provided a look into the Cuban economy that would have otherwise been extremely difficult to gather. It gave these Michigan companies an opportunity to kick the tires in a marketplace that has been out of our reach for decades,” said Noel Nevshehir, director of Automation Alley’s International Business Services.
“If business in Cuba is even a remote thought, this mission (was) well worth the investment for research and strategic arrangement for what to expect and anticipate in the following decades,” added trade mission participant Zachary Carbone of Managed Programs, LLC, a product development company focused on the design, engineering and manufacturing of plastic components.
Since 2001, Automation Alley’s award-winning trade mission program and export activities have generated $672,733,884 in export sales for Michigan companies. To date, 213 Michigan companies have participated in the missions.
Also in Q4, Automation Alley assisted in attracting DUO Robotic Solutions Inc. to the region. Based in Shanghai, DUO provides automotive, aerospace and composite industries with smart and cost-efficient 3D robotic solutions. The company recently signed a three-year lease on a building in Sterling Heights and plans to assemble machines locally in 2017-2018.
Since 2011, Automation Alley has successfully attracted 19 international companies to Southeast Michigan.
On the entrepreneurship front, Automation Alley invested in two new Michigan startups through its 7Cs program in Q4: Civionics ($10,000) and MakerOS ($50,000).
To date, Automation Alley has invested $9.19 million in 60 startup companies.
“We are enthusiastic about the potential of these two companies and look forward to seeing them grow and establish themselves right here in Southeast Michigan,” said Dom Holmes, Automation Alley’s manager of entrepreneurship and innovation.
For more information on these and other Automation Alley programs and services, visit automationalley.com or contact Automation Alley at 800-427-5100 or [email protected].
Tom Kelly is Executive Director of Automation Alley.
