- Oakland County is the epicenter of the global auto industry, including over 1,000 foreign-owned firms from 39 countries:
See the Map
- Over 90 aerospace firms call Oakland County home due to its vast advanced manufacturing infrastructure and resources, including: logistics/supply chain expertise, skilled manufacturing supplier tiers, robust tool and die infrastructure, and MRO
- 9 of the 10 largest aerospace/defense R&D firms have a presence in Michigan
- 57% of all FORTUNE 500 companies have at least one business location here
- 76 of the top 100 tier one automotive companies are in Oakland County
- All 12 global OEMs have research facilities here
- Proximity to customers and unparalleled opportunities to sell in the North American market. Our companies export more than $14B annually. We export more than 23 other states.
Top Industries
- Automotive/Mobility
- Information Technology
- Advanced Manufacturing
- Health Care
An Export Hub to North America
Locating in Oakland County gives companies access to not only the U.S. market but also to Canada and Mexico—our companies export more than $14.5 billion annually
Foreign-Owned Suppliers
Oakland County’s top foreign-owned OEM suppliers come from:
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- China
- Germany
- South Korea
- Canada
- France
Skilled Workforce
-
Educated Residents - Nearly
57% of Oakland County residents have an associate degree or higher, and
46% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
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Michigan ranks 3rd nationally in terms of total engineers with more than
115,000 working in the state
- More than a quarter of all engineers (nearly 30,000) working in Michigan work in Oakland County
- Colleges and Universities—Michigan colleges and universities graduate more than
10,000 engineers and engineering technicians each year, including: University of Michigan, Michigan State University and others
Innovation Powerhouse
Research and Development Hub
- With more than $12 billion spent, Michigan ranks fourth in U.S. for private spending on R&D
Automotive Industry
- 76 of the top 100 tier one automotive companies are in Oakland County
Patents
- Oakland County ranks ninth among all U.S. counties in new patents with 1,300 issued annually, and the region was awarded the first U.S. Patent Office outside of Washington D.C.
Industrial Designers
- With more than 19,000 workers employed as industrial and commercial designers or industrial engineers, the region has the highest concentration of both occupations in the U.S.
OEM Suppliers
- More than 70% of Michigan’s OEM parts suppliers are based in Oakland County
SOURCES:
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates, 2015; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; U.S. Department of Commerce, ITA