Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined a group of business, state, and local officials to celebrate the expansion of Crest Marine's Owosso Charter Township facility, thanking the pontoon manufacturer for investing in Michigan, creating new jobs for Michiganders and highlighting Michigan's manufacturing industry.
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"Michigan's business climate and highly skilled manufacturing workforce provide an environment where businesses like Crest Marine can grow and thrive, creating good paying jobs for Michiganders in Shiawassee County," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
"This is great news for workers, their families, and our economy as we continue our economic jumpstart and put Michigan back to work. With the help of companies like Crest Marine, we can build back our state's economy stronger than ever." 
The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $1 million and create up to 100 jobs with support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.
Michigan was chosen for the project over competing sites in Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.
 Crest Marine, LLC, established in 1957, is a pontoon boat manufacturer headquartered in Owosso Charter Township. The company currently has 309 employees at its Owosso location.
Crest was acquired by MasterCraft Boat Holdings in October 2018 and plans to expand as part of the parent company's commitment to continue supporting the brand's growth trajectory. Crest is looking to grow its production and distribution and plans to expand at its Owosso Charter Township facility to allow for increased capacity and additional equipment.
The project will bring immediate job growth and will solidify the company's presence and future growth in Michigan. With this expansion, Crest will be the largest employer in Shiawassee County.
Crest is dedicated to becoming one of the highest wage providers in the region and provides entry level employees with training opportunities to advance into more skilled manufacturing positions.
The company has also initiated sponsorship with the local Owosso High School in which high school seniors are allowed to attend technical programs at Baker College to earn associate degrees in skilled trades.
In addition to building on Michigan's manufacturing leadership, the project also highlights Michigan's travel and tourism industries.
Michigan is the third largest marine market in the country and ranks No. 2 in boat registrations. Boating has a $7.8 billion economic impact on Michigan's economy each year, supporting more than 40,000 jobs and 1,500 businesses. ■