Construction began this week on an expected $75 million facility that will produce weapons and military technology in Grayling. The plant is expected to start manufacturing in 2026.
A U.S. subsidiary of the Swedish defense company Saab announced its plans to build last year. The facility will take up about 60 acres in an industrial park south of Grayling.
While the project has received support from Governor Gretchen Whitmer, U.S. Representative Jack Bergman and local officials, some residents expressed concern with what they call a “growing military presence in the area.”
Erik Smith, President and CEO of Saab, Inc. called the project an “exciting milestone” that bolsters “Saab’s commitment to the local community and the defense industry.”
“Once complete, this new facility will play an important role in ensuring the U.S. military has the tools it needs to protect the warfighter and the American people. We are also creating local good-paying jobs that stimulate the economy, as well as hiring locally so residents can remain in their hometowns, close to family and friends,” Smith said in a statement. “We're excited to get to work and establish ourselves as a great neighbor and a great employer in Northern Michigan.”
Saab will make and test its AT4 product line — shoulder mounted weapons with softball-sized rounds designed to pierce through heavily armored objects. It will also make components of its Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb, but officials have said these won’t be tested in Grayling.
The project cleared hurdles earlier this year after it was approved by the Crawford County Economic Development Partnership and the Grayling township board voted to sell 300 acres to the defense company.
Opponents to the project have voiced concern that the manufacturing will harm the environment. Those concerns stem from PFAS contamination that was traced back to the Michigan National Guard’s nearby training facility in the fall of 2016.
PFAS, an acronym for polyfluoroalkyl substances, move through watersheds without breaking down and are linked to an array of health problems, including cancer.
According to Saab’s website, some components delivered to the facility for use in the products contain PFAS substances.
The website reads: “These substances are used to treat the products so they can endure extremely high temperatures. No surface treatments are conducted at the facility, and components containing PFAS will not come into contact with water or any other solvents. Therefore, there is no risk of PFAS leaking into the environment.”
According to reporting from MLive, the Anglers of the Au Sable sued the Michigan Economic Development Corporation this week to obtain “9,000 pages of plans, proposals and correspondence,” related to the Saab facility after officials reportedly failed to provide the documents.
IPR News reached out to the conservation group for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
Grayling is home to the largest National Guard training facility in the country that has tried to expand its footprint in recent years. Camp Grayling is a cornerstone of the National All-Domain Warfighting Center which also includes 17,000 square miles of special-use military airspace at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center.
In the leadup to the groundbreaking, Saab touted the facility’s economic impact on the area. Officials said they plan to hire for 70 jobs in engineering, assembly, management and more.
Jack Bergman, the Republican U.S. Representative for northern Michigan, praised the company for bringing new manufacturing to the region.
“Saab is investing in our community, supporting Veterans, and strengthening our local workforce. The location near Camp Grayling gives them a unique edge, with real-time input from one of the top military training facilities in the country,” Bergman said. “I’m proud to see another company doing things the right way here in northern Michigan, with a true commitment to the people who call this great place home.”
