CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago and the Detroit area stand to reap millions of dollars in federal grants and private sector investment as part of White House initiative to boost innovation in manufacturing and create jobs.
The White House says President Barack Obama will announce Tuesday the creation of two manufacturing institutes. The Detroit-area institute will focus on lightweight metals, while the Chicago hub will push innovation in digital manufacturing and design.
The institutes are being seeded by $70 million each from the Department of Defense, plus more than $70 million each from non-government sources.
Illinois U.S. Senator Dick Durbin announced Saturday the Department of Defense awarded the grant to UI Labs, a partnership between public and private groups, including universities and manufacturers.
Durbin says the lab will revolutionize the way the country approaches manufacturing.
