Saint-Gobain will break ground in early September on its $7 million, 50,000 square-foot administrative and manufacturing facility. The company has agreed to a 10-year lease, township officials said.

    The local Township Board of Trustees recently approved a five-year, 50-percent tax break as one incentive for the company to locate there. And the state of Michigan is also offering a tax break on the school property tax, employee training, and possibly a lessening the single business tax.

    The Michigan site was reportedly in competition with a northern Ohio community for the project as well. Local Michigan officials claim that landing the facility would help boost the economy and could result in spin-off projects over the years.

    Norman Chavka, director of sales and operations for Saint-Gobain Sekurit U.S.A., said  "This is the auto capital. This gives us more of a high-profile area and we can't think of a better place to have this facility."

    It is believed that the facility would employ over 100 people within the first two years, and have up to 400 employees in five years. There will also be related jobs generated, including construction and those in the plant supplier base

    Once the plant is fully operational, Saint-Gobain workers are scheduled to produce modular glass assemblies for OEM manufacturers. Saint-Gobain officials would like a bigger piece of that North American market and believe the new plant will help. Currently, the company claims a 1 to 2 percent share of the North American market, supplying glass for vehicles such as the new Cadillac CTS, the BMW X5, the Buick LeSabre, the Dodge Neon and the Chevy Suburban.