As editor of President Obama mentioned injection molder/mold maker MGS Manufacturing Group Inc. in a speech today at ZBB Corp. in Menomonee Falls, Wis.
ZBB makes batteries used to store electricity from solar cells and wind turbines.
In his speech today, Obama said he was visiting the plant "to jumpstart a homegrown, clean energy industry."
"Because of the steps we've taken to strengthen the economy, ZBB received a loan that's helping to fund an expansion of your operations. Already, it's allowed ZBB to retain nearly a dozen workers. And over time, the company expects to hire about 80 new workers. This is leading to new business for your suppliers, including MGS Plastics and other manufacturer here in Wisconsin.
He added: "And ZBB is also planning to take advantage of a special tax credit to build another factory in southeastern Wisconsin, so we can create even more jobs and more opportunity. And Eric is confident that you can expand because you're seeing rising demand for advanced batteries. And all this is part of steps we've taken in clean energy -- steps that have led to jobs manufacturing wind turbines and solar panels, building hybrid and electric vehicles, modernizing our electric grid so that we have more sources of renewable energy but we can also use it more effectively.
"We expect our commitment to clean energy to lead to more than 800,000 jobs by 2012. And that's not just creating work in the short term, that's going to help lay the foundation for lasting economic growth. I just want everybody to understand --just a few years ago, American businesses could only make 2 percent of the world's advanced batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles -- 2 percent. In just a few years, we'll have up to 40 percent of the world's capacity."