Tech Company Celebrates Grand Opening in Northville Township

It only has 25 employees in Northville, but soon those numbers will grow as Soulbrain MI, formerly known as TSC Michigan, expands.

The tech company, which produces a part for lithium ion batteries, held its grand opening with a ribbon cutting last Wednesday at its plant on Six Mile Road near Beck Road. On hand were Northville Township and city officials as well as representatives from the state, including Michigan Economic Development Corporation president Michael Finney. Wayne County representatives such as county commissioner Laura Cox and county executive Robert Ficano were also present.

"We'll work hard to increase production, bring jobs and revitalize the local economy," CEO Allen Ibara told the crowd.

The close proximity to Detroit and Ann Arbor, as well as the high number of engineers in the area, were a big draw for the company to Northville. The company pumped $31 million into reviving what was previously a crumbling building.

Ibara also explained some of the company's history saying that it was founded in Korea, where it's also headquartered, as TechnoSemiChem Co. Ltd. Worldwide, it employs 1,000 people and expects to double in a year. As it expands, it is expected to bring 79 more new jobs to its Northville plant within the next five years.

Previously, neighbors appeared at a township trustee meeting to protest the opening of the business because of concerns about the scale of the business and noise with "machines banging through the night," said township manager Chip Snider.

"It's not the case at all. It's a sophisticated high tech process," he said.

Soulbrain MI recently applied for and received a 5-year tax abatement after meeting several township criteria. In its application, the company reported that 20 percent of the its personal property will be used for office space, 20 percent for research and development and 60 percent will be allocated to manufacturing.