Displaying items by tag: The Right Place Inc

New issues have become top of mind for West Michigan economic developers and economists.

LANSING — The Small Business Association of Michigan wants to build on the state’s past efforts in economic development policy while also creating continuity from one governor’s administration to the next.

Amazon.com Inc. has made its first official announcement regarding the ecommerce giant’s long-planned distribution center in southeastern Kent County.

Automotive supplier Ventra Ionia Main LLC, is expanding its operations with the purchase of a 48,900-square-foot facility in Ionia, the company announced Wednesday.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for May 29, 2018.

HexArmor, a Grand Rapids-based personal protective equipment manufacturer, will invest $8.7 million into a Kent County facility and plans to create roughly 50 jobs over the next three years.

With the automotive industry headed for a period of plateauing sales and a potential slowdown, manufacturers could find opportunities to diversify by supplying Michigan’s aerospace sector.

A dairy processor plans to expand its existing facility in West Michigan.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for April 2, 2018.

• M&A: A subsidiary of Universal Forest Products Inc. (Nasdaq: UFPI) plans to acquire “substantially all” of the operating assets of Marietta, Ga.-based North American Container Corp., a producer of packaging products, according to a statement. The deal should close by June 1. Terms of the deal were undisclosed. The acquisition will add steel, corrugated and hardwood packaging to Universal’s lineup of industrial products. North American Container, founded in 1967, operates nine manufacturing facilities in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin and recorded 2017 sales of about $71 million. Universal Forest Products in February reported that it generated $3.9 billion in net sales with net earnings of $119.5 million for 2017.

Michigan’s role in improving manufacturing efficiency has come a long way since the invention of the assembly line.

GAINES TOWNSHIP –– Developers representing an online retail behemoth are considering a 100-acre site in southern Kent County for a “massive” distribution facility, MiBiz has learned.

In choosing sites other than West Michigan, Amazon.com Inc. walked away from more than $2 billion in incentives offered by three West Michigan municipalities to the Seattle-based online retailer to locate in the region.

The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) has taken a step forward in its goal of exiting the landfill business over the next decade.

CALEDONIA — A Hastings-based manufacturer of fire suppression equipment needed a new home that would allow its business to expand and meet the demands for its growing line of sprinklers.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for Feb. 5, 2018

• M&A: Grand Rapids-based Alliance CNC Cutter Grinding Services Inc. was acquired by GWS Tool Group LLC of Tavares, Fla., according to a statement. Alliance CNC is a designer and manufacturer of tight tolerance drills, reamers and micro-tools. With the deal, GWS adds hole-making tool capabilities to its existing focus in round tools, endmills and inserts. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Alliance CNC will continue to operate out of its Grand Rapids area plant with its existing management team. GWS Tool Group is a vertically integrated manufacturer of engineered cutting tools for the aerospace, defense, power generation, automotive and medical industries.

A Hastings-based manufacturer and distributor of fire protection equipment plans a new research and development facility in southern Kent County.

Mayors and city officials across Michigan consider economic development a top priority in their communities, but they tend to put more emphasis on placemaking and quality of life than jobs and entrepreneurship.

Next year, Michigan voters will elect the person who will become the fifth governor that The Right Place CEO Birgit Klohs has worked with in her career in economic development. While her organization is “agnostic” when it comes to who wins the election, Klohs hopes to continue to have a strong working relationship with the new chief executive and that the new governor continues to support the efforts of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

GRAND RAPIDS — Employers continue to struggle to find people to fill open positions and drive growth in their business.

GRAND RAPIDS — After a decade of growth in manufacturing, the sector still finds itself having to defend its worth to parents and high school counsellors.

Michigan will largely follow the U.S. economy in 2018, with continued job growth and low unemployment.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for Dec. 11, 2017.

Advantage Sales & Marketing LLC will invest $4.3 million to move its four local operations into one office at the former Klingman’s Furniture/Roger’s Department Store on 28th Street SW.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for Nov. 13, 2017: 

• M&A: Wabash, Ind.-based Martin Yale Industries LLC, a portfolio company of Grand Rapids-based private equity firm LV2 Equity Partners LLC, acquired Dry-Lam LLC of Shawnee, Kan., according to a statement. The transaction marked the second bolt-on acquisition for Martin Yale, a manufacturer of print finishing, office and mailroom equipment. Dry-Lam is a distributor of laminating equipment and films to the office product and commercial print finishing industries. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Dry-Lam’s distribution center will be relocated to Martin Yale’s Indiana facility.

GRAND RAPIDS –– West Michigan leaders believe they made a compelling case for the region to serve as the home to online retail giant Amazon.com Inc.’s second headquarters.

Many executives at companies in West Michigan’s medical device supply chain came out of the automotive industry only to find they’re facing all-too-familiar challenges in their current roles.

A forecast for aggressive growth drove Kentwood-based Service Express Inc. to open a 40,000-square-foot office in the city of Grand Rapids.

Here is the MiBiz Growth Report for Oct. 30, 2017:

• M&A: Stryker Corp. acquired a majority interest in French medical device company Vexim SA and plans to make a tender offer to buy out its remaining shareholders. The Kalamazoo-based Stryker (NYSE: SYK) acquired 50.7 percent of shares and 50.3 percent of voting rights to Vexim, based in Balma, near Toulouse, France. Stryker paid 20 euros per share to funds managed by Truffle Capital, Bpifrance and Kreaxi, as well as Vexim managers. Vexim said the acquisition of the majority stake by Stryker has an equity value of 183 million euros, which equates to about $216 million. Vexim specializes in devices for minimally invasive procedures to treat traumatic spinal pathologies.

GRAND RAPIDS — Officials from West Michigan acknowledge the region must overcome long odds in its bid to win the economic development sweepstakes for Amazon.com Inc.’s HQ2 project.

As farmers across the state struggle to turn a profit in an era of depressed commodity prices, one aspect of agribusiness — food processing — continues to grow in West Michigan.