LANSING — Aerospace and medical device manufacturer Tecomet will invest $14.5 million over the next three to five years to expand and upgrade its Lansing facilities.

The move is expected to create 160 manufacturing jobs that will pay between $40,000 and $60,000 a year

John Helmuth, general manager of Tecomet Lansing, said Lansing already has a history with manufacturing, and the local work force has the skills needed to fill jobs.

Area colleges also offer training opportunities, which has "really enabled us to grow the machining piece and give our employees a path to grow," Helmuth said.

Tecomet currently employs 400 people at its Lansing location and approximately 2,000 worldwide. Some of the products made at its Lansing facilities include knee and hip replacements and trauma plates for shattered bones.

The $14.5 million investment will allow the company to ramp up production at its Lansing facilities. Tecomet will expand into 30,000 square feet of space at 5858 Enterprise Drive in South Lansing. The manufacturer already has facilities in near the intersection of Jolly and Aurelius roads.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said Tecomet's investment in Lansing is a signal that more manufacturing education and awareness is needed and that the industry is a viable option for young people looking for stable and well-paid work.

“This is not your father’s factory," he said. "There’s an exciting future in manufacturing. We’ve got to get that word out.”

The investment also shows the potential for investment from other medical device manufacturers, said Bob Trezise, president and CEO of the Lansing Economic Area Partnership.

“We’re really focusing even more of the continued development of our medical device community," he said. "We have a labor force that understands that industry.”

Tecomet plans to apply for a five-year tax abatement from the city of Lansing for building improvements, which will require approval from the Lansing City Council and the State Tax Commission.

During the tax abatement period, the city is expected to lose about $20,000 in property taxes, but have a net gain of around $222,000 in income taxes from the 160 new positions created from the company, said Karl Dorshimer, director of business development for LEAP.

"This has a huge impact on the local economy — people buying houses, cars, goods, services," he said. "There are a lot of good things about this project."

Tecomet has also been awarded a $640,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant by the Michigan Strategic Fund.

"Tecomet is a global company, and they could choose to be anywhere," said Melissa Dansereau, the business development manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. "We're thankful that they chose Michigan."

Contact reporter Haley Hansen at (517) 267-1344 or hhansen@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @halehansen.