Advanced Defense Vehicle Systems (ADVS), a manufacturer of equipment for military defense vehicles, received the tax abatement they were looking for from the Orion Township Board of Trustees on Oct. 20.
The sentiments of residents at the public hearing prior to the abatement’s unanimous approval by the board were mostly patriotic.
‘I am a veteran. My son was in Desert Storm. My father-in-law was in World War II and Korea,? said resident John Simone. ‘All I can do is say thank you for bringing our boys home safe. I support this.?
ADVS, located at 4590 Joslyn Road, will build armored vehicles that protect soldiers from the types of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that have killed so many in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to James LeBlanc, the company’s CEO.
‘You’re not going to go out and start a war with these things, but you sure are going to protect your troops with them, as they are now operating in Iraq and Afghanistan,? said LeBlanc.’We don’t manufacture vehicles that were created to kill people. These vehicles are used to keep our troops safe from IEDs. My nephew came back from Iraq in a box. He’s dead. What we want to do is keep that from happening.?
The company will receive tax relief on $2.3 million worth of new equipment and improvements the company will make, but will still be a significant contributor to the community on the taxes they will pay, LeBlanc said.
LeBlanc added the company was recently awarded a new contract that will get ADVS up and running even quicker.
‘We have received another contract to do the same thing with another vehicle for our forces in the theater of operation. The war zone. It’s classified, but nonetheless, it involves the same skill set.?
ADVS currently employs nine at the Joslyn location, but within 18 months, the company will employee 223.
JoAnn VanTassel, who will take her seat on the township board next month, said it was her understanding ADVS wasn’t getting a ‘free ride? on the tax abatement, and said she was for it.
‘It’s my understanding that the equipment they are building are armored vehicles that protected our troops from the IEDs which have caused most of the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan,? she said. ‘Given the size of this township’s fund balance, I stand before you as a strong advocate of granting the tax abatement and giving them 12 years of abatement.?
Many were happy that ADVS picked Michigan in these tough economic times when the domestic automakers are hurting more than ever.
Christine Roeder of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation said her group has been working with ADVS for several months.
‘We were under some pretty severe competition to lose this investment and all these jobs to another state,? she said. ‘We know Mr. LeBlanc and his team are well positioned to continue to invest and add jobs to Orion.?
Township Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk echoed Roeder.
‘James could have gone anywhere in the country. We were competing with another state down South. He could have gone anywhere in the world.?
Dywasuk went on to praise the company for bringing jobs to the area.
‘We’re talking about people who are going to be getting incomes to support their families,? he said.