Rep. Mark Schauer

Blog

Mark in the news

Posted by Zack Pohl on October 27, 2009

WLNS: New Jobs May be Headed to Area
A local manufacturer hit hard by layoffs and job losses makes a very different kind of announcement- a plan to retool, and most importantly, re-hire. RTD Manufacturing was so dependent on auto business, they were forced to make some tough decisions and lay off more than half of their workforce. Now they're looking to diversify by doing work for the feds. RTD Manufacturing would rather cut steel than jobs. Bryant Ramsey, RTD Manufacturing President: "With the economy taking a downturn, people quit buying cars and we quit getting orders." At one point the company had 56 employees, now it's down to 12... RTD teamed up with an engineering firm, one that just won a contract with the US Army. It's worth up to 430-million dollars. The engineering firm will design the parts and they'll be built at RTD. Rep. Mark Schauer, (D) district 7: "I think this is going to signal a lot of good high-tech, high-paying manufacturing jobs here in mid-Michigan." Machines at RTD manufacturing could be making parts for the US Military within the next few weeks. What they're going to make is classified... Bryant Ramsey: "We have as good of a chance of anybody, if not an advantage over other companies to bring as much work to our team as possible which in turn would come here to Jackson and create jobs." Getting back to cutting steel, putting people back to work. In addition to the tough economic times, the company's founder, Bryant Ramsey's dad, died unexpectedly leaving him in charge of the company. Ramsey says this announcement would have made his dad very proud.

CIT PAT: RTD Manufacturing gets contract to assemble materials for U.S. Army
Standing in front of the dozen or so employees left at RTD Manufacturing, a host of politicians and business leaders announced a major military contract that could keep those workers busy and add to their ranks. Warren-based Waltonen Engineering Inc. won a five year contract earlier this month with the U.S. Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center with a ceiling of $430 million. RTD will be the primary manufacturer on the team Waltonen assembled to produce the materials the Army requests. It does not guarantee work, but it does give them the opportunity, RTD President Bryant Ramsey said. "The opportunity is very exciting," Ramsey said... U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, said this will help to aid the war effort. "We will protect and provide the tools for the warfighters... here together, as a team," Schauer said. State Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson helped the company search for locations when it moved to Jackson several years ago while he was the city's mayor. He said he is happy to see it have the potential to grow. "These people are in a position to do pretty much anything," Griffin said. "In this economy, it's either adapt, or go out of business and they're looking everywhere... to change their business and stay afloat, and they're doing a really good job."

LSJ: Eaton County appeals for broadband stimulus
Rural Eaton County residents may be cruising the Internet at high speeds by 2011 if a project to bring broadband to the entire county gets federal stimulus package support. The broadband project is seeking funds from the federal stimulus package to offset its expected $3 million to $5 million price tag. A funding decision is expected by the end of next month... Joe Brehler, chairman of the Eaton County Board of Commissioners, said the countywide consortium approached private companies and talked to them about wiring the county for broadband. The companies said the project would cost too much and they didn't think the cost could be easily recouped by selling broadband access in rural areas. With that in mind, the consortium turned to the federal government for help. Gov. Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, back the consortium's request for funds from the federal stimulus package. "Connecting the entire county, including some rural communities is of urgent importance," Schauer said.

Congressman Mark Schauer: Representing Michigan's 7th District