DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 09-18-06 A 9 CDB 9/15/2006 12:05 PM Page 1 September 18, 2006 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 9 MARY KRAMER: The curious campaign role of China Northwest Airlines wants to add China operations creat- in China. the same time, Amway set up man- Michigan jobs were added to sup- a new Detroit-Shanghai nonstop ed by Amway under Enough! This back- ufacturing in China to sell prod- port the China operations. route next March. The route would then-CEO Dick DeVos and-forth is damaging ucts in China, not to sell China- Third, if Michigan wants to shave several hours from the one- has got to offend any Michigan’s long-term made products in the U.S. In an build its brand as a global player stop route it has now, with a lay- business manager who business interests. De- interview with Crain’s last week, in the 21st century economy, it over in Japan. has had to make deci- mocrats don’t mention Granholm repeatedly referred to needs to act like a global player. Competing domestic airlines sions based on market — or perhaps don’t un- this as a “shift in resources.” It’s This rhetoric doesn’t cut it. also want to add a China route conditions and relent- derstand — three im- actually a shift in markets. If you Final question: If Northwest originating in such cities as Dal- less global competition. portant things: castigate DeVos, what about execs gets the China route, will the gov- las, Newark and Washington, D.C. Yet Democrats, in- First, accusing De- at General Motors Corp. and else- ernor’s office have the nerve to is- The U.S. Department of Trans- cluding Gov. Jennifer Vos of “sending” where executing similar market- sue a press release touting this portation will pick only one. Granholm, repeatedly Michigan jobs to China driven strategies? great new economic advantage? Northwest is lobbying hard. Logi- and erroneously link in the late 1990s isn’t Second, profits from China sales Mary Kramer is publisher of cally, Michigan’s economic-develop- the two separate ac- true. The company did come back to Michigan; Detroit Crain's Detroit Business. Her weekly ment team should be, too. Nonstop tions: job reductions in the U.S. be- reorganize and reduce its work- News columnist Dan Howes re- take on the latest business news airs routes traditionally lead to business cause of lagging sales and a change force in Michigan and worldwide, ported China operations con- at 6:40 a.m. Mondays on the Paul W. development. Companies like to be in the business model with invest- but the reorganization was trig- tribute about $2 billion annually to Smith show on WJR AM 760. E-mail close to the quickest routes to their ment in new production facilities gered by lower U.S. sales. About Alticor’s $6.4 billion revenue. her at [email protected]. international operations. Question: How is the anti-China rhetoric spewed forth in this state’s hot governor’s race playing in Washington and Beijing? Democrats are demonizing com- panies, uh, make that one Michigan- based company, for setting up man- ufacturing operations in China. Regardless of who your favorite candidate is, this assault on the LETTERS CONTINUED ■ From Page 8 Northwest has developed a series of options to address work actions by the Association of Flight Atten- dants-CWA, but we hope that we will not need to employ them. Northwest wants a consensual agreement with the AFA and is working hard to achieve that goal. Northwest is looking at a number of ways to structure an agreement with flight attendants and wel- comes any input from AFA. We have also asked a federal court in New York to enjoin any work action because we believe them to be illegal. Legal action aside, we look forward to reaching No pain. Lots of gain. an agreement with our flight atten- dants as soon as possible. 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Remember, wherever in the world you compete, Michigan can give you the upper hand. michigan.org DETROIT BUSINESS MAIN 09-18-06 A 11 CDB 9/15/2006 12:10 PM Page 1 September 18, 2006 CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS Page 11 EPORTER S NOTEBOOK R ’ Hope for enclave suburbs 75 Detroit Jennette Smith writes about Highland Park, Hamtramck real estate and pin renewal hopes on new Davison Fwy hospitality. Call Highland developments. Park (313) 446- Woodward Hamtramck 0414 or write Page 13. jhsmith@ crain.com wayne county Jennette Smith Communities lock horns over plant proposal Trenton wants a new engine plant and the jobs that would come with it so badly it is willing to close down a section of a major road. Grosse Ile Township isn’t so The right lure pleased about its neighbor’s plan to shut down Van Horn Road to make way for DaimlerChrysler AG. That’s because Van Horn is the main artery that provides access to Downriver the free bridge to the island. There are many examples of how regional cooperation has created backers better recreation assets while helping to attract corporate investment along the Detroit River. target bass But when it comes to Van Horn, there’s no easy compromise. anglers, bird Trenton Mayor Gerald Brown said he’s in daily contact with DaimlerChrysler, waiting to find watchers with out if the $800 million project is a go. Part of that would hinge on a request to Wayne County to emphasis on close a section of the road. “We tried several ways to move the footprint around to avoid road outdoor tourism closure, but when it got down to crunch time, it was a deal-breaker. BY JENNETTE SMITH John Hartig, refuge “We want the 700 jobs. If they CRAIN’S DETROIT BUSINESS manager of the don’t build it here, they are going Detroit River to build it somewhere else.” n the surface, bass fishing and bird- International Grosse Ile Township Supervisor watching may seem like unlikely eco- Wildlife Refuge, says the potential Kurt Kobiljak said Van Horn is the O nomic drivers.