Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Celebrates Completion of Micro Bird’s New $38 Million U.S. Manufacturing Facility In Plattsburgh

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul joined local leaders and company executives to cut the ribbon on Micro Bird’s new U.S. manufacturing facility in Plattsburgh, Clinton County. Micro Bird — a joint venture between Blue Bird Corporation and Girardin, the largest manufacturer of small school buses in North America — has officially launched operations at the former Nova Bus facility on Banker Road, which the company repurposed following Nova Bus’s planned exit from Plattsburgh.

VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

AUDIO: The Governor's remarks are available in audio form here.

PHOTOS: The Governor's Flickr page will have photos of the event here.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

I've been to a lot of grand openings, but this is definitely the coolest. I love your music, you don't just have a lot of rows just lined up, you got these really edgy tables. The food looks amazing, so I'm impressed first of all. And could not be more delighted to be here this morning to congratulate all the individuals you heard recognized by Eric and John from Blue Bird and John the chairman of AZ bus sales, and Steve Girardin and Garry Douglas, and the whole gang — and Michael Cashman our great supervisor here who I've worked closely with and all the legislators and our friends in Quebec.

I want to put a special emphasis on friends in Quebec — friends in Canada. We are your friends to the bitter end. Nothing happening in Washington can divide that common sense of purpose, the sharing of values and really soulmates through our journey because there's so many commonalities between our state and the provinces of Quebec and Ontario that we border over 450 miles with.

And so, that is a point of great pride for me. I'll actually be in Quebec meeting the Premier and other governors just in a couple of weeks, and I look forward to continuing to deepen the ties. So you know we love Quebec.

And also I love Plattsburgh. I come up here as often as I can. This part of our state is so spectacularly beautiful. I actually am a boater. How could you not be a boater when you live in the State of New York? But I took a journey on the Erie Canal, the entire length. Turned north, came up through the locks, came up to Lake Champlain and had the most extraordinary journey just last summer. Totally incognito, you didn't know it was me. That was me out there trying to tie the lines and not get blown off the deck. I think this is such an exciting day and a real statement of confidence.

I believe in this region, the workers believe in it, people like Gary Douglas, our elected leaders. But sometimes you feel like, “You know what? The winds of change are kind of hard.” And as I watched the numbers and what's been going on in our North Country in the last nine months, the whole talk of relationship with Canada, not in a positive way or tariffs. And a lot of our friends from Canada are feeling not as welcome here or boycotting and not coming here, and it's having a real hit on our local businesses hospitality.

Our little main streets are hurt, and so I feel that deeply. So to come here today and say something like this magnificent announcement where we're able to keep and expand jobs that are so critical — not just for the local economy — but critical for our emergence into the clean energy future with buses that are second to none.

So you're all part of some great story that is unfolding here, that no matter what happens elsewhere, this is New York. We're proud, we're kind of bold sometimes, but we have a lot to be proud of. And the fact that you believed in us, believed in this region, made this decision is something I'll never take for granted.

So I'm grateful to the entire leadership team and everyone who made this happen. But also the workers here, I know how hard it is. Get a little bit tougher weather than some other parts of the state. I kind of know what I'm talking about because I'm from Buffalo. It toughens you right? It toughens you — you can take on anything.

And I come out of a world where manufacturing was everything. My grandpa lived the American dream after starting out in great poverty from Ireland because he got a job making steel with his hands at the Bethlehem Steel Plant. My dad worked there, his brothers worked there, everybody worked there — that was our bread and butter.

So we are proud to be making things and building projects around the country and putting it in vehicles all over because of the hard work that was being done in my hometown. So I know what it's like when I'm looking at the workers here — that enormous sense of pride you have, that you're part of something that's making a difference.

And when you see the buses roll off the line and know they're all over our state, transporting people to school or to a doctor's appointment, and just really just being so safe and secure. I hope that you just beam with pride at what you've created with your hard work. So I just want to give another round of applause to the workers here. You are the heart and soul of this company.

[...]

And people worked here for a long time — about 15 years — showing up every day, punching the clock, and building thousands of buses. As I said, the pride that comes from being here, but when Nova Bus announced they were shutting down, it was pretty devastating for this area. I know that, I felt it, I heard all about it. And people feared and assumed the jobs had vanished. And perhaps this magnificent state-of-the-art facility will be left to just decline as I saw manufacturing — Bethlehem Steel still has buildings. They've been shut down for 40 years, kind of haunting you.

When a big company leaves and they just leave the remains almost like a skeleton. It mocks the local community and it's hard to take. Believe me, I live this, but I said, “I'm not letting that happen here.” I know what that can do to the psychology of a community when you have to deal with that. So we are going to leave no stone unturned to facilitate a smooth transition — my gosh, in seven months, it's extraordinary.

But I literally called up the CEO of Volvo, said “You're going to make this happen, okay? You're going to help facilitate new leadership that'll make sure we don't miss a beat, because these workers are everything to me. I want them taken care of.” And so we've delivered on that. And that is something I'm really excited about and proud of, myself.

Also, when I think about the different parts of the state, there's different identities. Like Rochester, you think of Photonics, and Eastman Kodak and Bausch + Lomb. And you think about the North Country, it's always a world class transportation manufacturer. It just is. That's our brand up here. And we're going to continue leaning into that strength and that reputation. And it's really proud for me to know that there's over a thousand people working there, it has about a $150 million impact on our statewide GDP.

But you know what, my friends? I think there's more room to grow. We have the space, we have the talent, we have the local community colleges and universities, all within a short distance — the train workers. I'm a firm believer in apprenticeship programs to give people skills. Never said you had to go to college necessarily to be able to have a great life here. Go learn the skills. And so we offer all that here.

So I'm just getting started, and I want to make sure that this area, as we usher in the rebirth of manufacturing — I mean, it's not a dirty word to me. I love manufacturing. I have walked so many factory floors. I have touched more equipment and asked more questions, I'm fascinated by it.

But you're innovating the future as well. This is not old school technology. You're using the latest and the greatest to make sure that our vehicles are safe and efficient and do their jobs and last a long time. And so I know that's what we're going to continue doing here.

So, glad we could kick in a few bucks here — about almost $10 million in tax credits. There you go. A $2.5 million grant to seal the deal. But this is a real shot in the arm for this area. This really is a shot in the arm. And continues to foster that sense of pride and purpose that has defined this community for such a long time. And so, I'm going to make sure that people know — tell our friends elsewhere in Quebec — come on over, we'll go over there, we'll just keep that synergy going, that love and appreciation of each other.

And I'm going to make sure that as we continue investing in other — you're joining BETA Technologies and Alstom, and other leading transportation manufacturers here. We make subway cars at Alstom. And so, you may not think about New York City affecting what happens up here too much, but it really does. Because when I can fully fund the MTA Capital Plan, it was a big dollar, I also knew that there'd be money from that being invested right up here as we continue manufacturing the subway cars that we need.

So these are projects that I see the synergy of decisions made elsewhere and how we can use the talent we have here, the great buildings, the leadership that believes in this area and a great group of individuals who put their heart and soul and their jobs every day. I'm going to keep being the person, your Governor, who pulls it all together. And I will never forget the North Country.

You are so important to me. I spent my childhood vacationing up here and camping up here and boating up here. I know the extraordinary quality of life. And any new employees that are coming here, they're going to fall in love with this area as well, I guarantee it. So it's a huge win for us. We're going to keep the North Country's economic engine humming and growing. And again, thank you for inviting me today. because I could not be happier to be in any place in the whole state, but right here, right now. So thank you very much, everyone. Thank you.