Michigan has always played a prominent role in the defense of the United States.
Many of the reasons were on display this week as the National Defense Industrial Association hosted the 16th annual Michigan Defense Expo. Taking place at the Macomb Sports & Expo Center in Warren, this year’s MDEX set records for attendance (some 3,500 registered participants) and exhibitiors (more than 200).
The event highlight Michigan’s role in the defense industrial base, showcasing cutting-edge innovation, national security advancements, and economic impact in the region.
“MDEX is not just an event—it is a mission-critical platform for advancing national security and technology,” said Valde Garcia,president of NDIA’s Michigan Chapter. “Each year, we bring together government leaders, industry innovators, and small businesses to ensure that Michigan remains at the epicenter of defense innovation and manufacturing excellence.”
For defense contractors like GM Defense, the expo is a chance to network and introduce the latest advances in military technology to a wide and varied audience.
This year, GM Defense took advantage of the large crowds at the three-day event to debut its new Infantry Squad Vehicle, a nine-passenger troop carrier.
“(The expo) has gotten better every year,” said Patricia Sellers, director of business development, integrated energy & propulsion for GM Defense. “It facilitates conversation and dialogue. As an industry partner, it’s important for us to have the same baseline … It gives us all the same playing field.”
The expo is designed to connect Department of Defense leaders, prime contractors, and small businesses in what officials call “one of the most strategically significant manufacturing corridors” in the United States.
MDEX officials point out that this region is responsible for producing 75% of America’s ground combat systems and is home to more than 6,000 defense contractors.
The corridor, they say, generated more than $26 billion in defense contracts over a single decade and hosts critical military assets such as the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) and the U.S. Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC).
The expo plays a key role in putting exhibitors together with businesses and contractors in an informative, collaborative atmosphere.
According to MDEX event chair Misty Martin, the expo has grown from a small group of people showing what the defense industry can do here to a record-setting event that drew more than 200 exhibitors and attracted more than 3,400 people this year. Both of those are event records.
“We have three days of programming with (representatives of) government, senior VPs, and CEOs from industry and small businesses all coming together,” Martin said. “We bring them together because, especially for small businesses, they really don’t understand how to get their foot in the door. It’s hard to talk to the VPs, the CEOs or the people actually doing the buying.
“What we try to do here is put the people together,” she added. “They’re here, so they can walk the booths and talk to one another.”
That kind of networking is one of the best benefits of MDEX, according to Jon Culkowski, principal design engineer for Allient Defense, a global leader in connecting motion, controls and power technologies.
“You get to meet up with potential new customers,” Culkowski said. “It exposes us to other technologies that are out there.”
In an evolving defense landscape, officials sayt MDEX “stands out as one of the few premier opportunities for industry leaders” to engage directly with Michigan Defense decision-makers and showcase groundbreaking innovations.
With limited avenues for direct collaboration, MDEX provides a “vital forum” for connecting industry expertise with government priorities, they say.
“Michigan’s Defense Corridor is unlike any other place in the country,” Garcia said. “The NDIA Michigan Chapter’s leadership in organizing MDEX ensures that this ecosystem continues to deliver innovative solutions that protect our warfighters and enhance our national security.”
