Medical Main Street Meets Italian Life Sciences Firms; Nabs Italian Auto Supplier
PONTIAC -- Seven Italian biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device companies met with a delegation organized by the Oakland County Medical Main Street economic development program in Bologna, Italy Tuesday, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said.
Oakland County organized a Medical Main Street delegation which included Butzel Long for immigration work visa assistance; Comerica Bank; Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine; Bloomfield Hills-based VPCI Inc., a Food and Drug Administration consultant group; and Southfield-based Clayton & McKervey, P.C., which helps foreign firms set up shop in the United States, including understanding the U.S. tax structure.
"Our goal is to grow the Medical Main Street brand internationally and attract Italian life sciences companies to Oakland County," said Patterson. "The Medical Main Street delegation presented the many resources available to these companies in Oakland County and why Michigan is the most strategic location for their first U.S. location."
Patterson also announced that the ED Group in Italy is seeking to hire five people this year to operate ED Group USA. ED Group is a Fiat supplier that manufactures mechanical and electrical components, among others. ED Group USA currently has made a soft landing in Oakland County, working out of Automation Alley's International Center until Oakland County helps the company identify a permanent location. Fiat Chrysler and Oakland County are working together to connect ED Group with other automotive companies in Michigan.
"ED Group is a strategically diversified company within the transportation industry having clients like Ducati Motorcycles, Fiat and Ferrari," said Patterson. "They will be a great addition to our automotive cluster in Oakland County."
ED Group will join a growing list of more than 800 foreign-owned firms from 37 countries located in Oakland County.
