Displaying items tagged: manufacturing

LANSING — Michigan will give companies $410 million to open two electric vehicle battery plants following approval of transfers by a legislative panel on Wednesday.

After spending months behind the scenes on complex negotiations and crafting incentive packages to lure major advanced manufacturers, Michigan economic development organizations now face another challenge to landing projects: public sentiment.

BYRON TWP. — A Grand Rapids-area packaging company has permanently laid off 60 employees amid reduced business.

Gotion Inc.’s top North American executive said Wednesday that the Chinese company is targeting July to start construction on a planned $2.4 billion battery parts plant in the Big Rapids area.

MillerKnoll Inc. will permanently lay off 162 employees as the company prepares to close a furniture manufacturing plant in Sheboygan, Wis. 

WALKER — A Grand Rapids-area manufacturer has laid off nearly a quarter of its workforce as the company shifts its focus from tool and die operations to solely automation solutions.

State economic officials approved Tuesday a $120.3 million grant for site readiness at a megasite in Marshall, where Ford Motor Co. is building a $3.5 billion battery factory.

GRAND RAPIDS — Private equity firm Auxo Investment Partners has added to a platform of manufacturing companies with a recent deal for Ohio-based Saylor Technical Products LLC.

Executives at MillerKnoll Inc. and Steelcase Inc. expect that their sales will ease slightly in the months ahead. 

NILES — A Southwest Michigan retailer and machine shop specializing in refurbished diesel engines has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy less than two years after incorporating, citing mounting warranty claims and broader supply chain disruptions. 

A West Michigan metal fabricator is making significant investments to bolster its presence in the electric vehicle battery production sector.

LANSING — Michigan notched a win with Ford Motor Co’'s decision to build a $3.5 billion, 2,500-job electric vehicle battery factory in Marshall.

CALEDONIA TWP. — A New York City-based producer and seller of hair care products plans to close a Grand Rapids-area production facility by the end of the year, resulting in nearly 70 permanent layoffs.

Mark White sees the massive disruption in the automotive industry caused by electric vehicles as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Gotion Inc.’s multibillion-dollar electric vehicle battery factory proposal near Big Rapids has swelled by 1 million square feet and 200-300 additional jobs despite lingering uncertainty that the project will even happen.

GRAND RAPIDS — Tier 1 automotive supplier Gentex Corp. has hired roughly 500 new employees over the past two and a half months, making a major dent in the Zeeland-based company’s unfilled positions.

Ingrid Tighe brought more than a decade of experience in economic and workforce development to her new role as president of the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, where she will help small and mid-sized companies adopt supply chain and automation strategies.

Gotion Inc. hopes to move forward with a $2.4 billion EV battery parts plant in the Big Rapids area, but it has a backup plan that could involve leaving the state if the deal falls apart, said Chuck Thelen, the company’s vice president for North American operations.

GRAND RAPIDS — Perrigo Co. plc intends to pause M&A for the next couple of years to focus on improving performance and profitability as it works to reduce its debt load.

State officials are partnering with major universities and auto-sector employers on a new statewide scholarship program aimed at developing talent in the electric vehicle and mobility space.

ADA — Direct-selling giant Amway Corp. reported a slight sales decline in 2022 from the prior year, citing the strength of the U.S. dollar, the sale of an affiliated nutritional supplement company and the company’s withdrawal from Russia.

Ferris State University is working to roll out an accelerated electric vehicle battery manufacturing training program to build a pipeline of workers for a planned $2.4 billion battery plant in the Big Rapids area.

Chinese battery parts manufacturer Gotion Inc. is reassessing real estate plans for a $2.4 billion factory in the Big Rapids area after scrutiny from a township board.

Auxo Investment Partners’ acquisition of a West Michigan manufacturer has both in-state and national growth opportunities for the Grand Rapids private equity firm.

HOLLAND — Furniture manufacturer Haworth Inc.’s global sales reached a record $2.5 billion in 2022, driven in part by new products designed to help employers bring people back to the office and accommodate hybrid and remote work models.

It’s been nearly three years since the COVID-19 pandemic upended office markets around the country, including in Michigan.

CASCADE TWP. — Fresh off a new round of fundraising, Buell Motorcycle Co. has unveiled a partnership with a well-known industry designer to launch a new Super Cruiser production concept for the West Michigan-based high-performance brand.

WALKER — Speedrack Products Group Ltd. has become one of the latest West Michigan companies to transition to employee ownership.

Ford Motor Co. announced Monday plans to build BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, a $3.5 billion electric vehicle battery plant that would create 2,500 jobs in Marshall. But it wasn’t always destined for Michigan.

GRAND RAPIDS — Gentex Corp.’s recently announced plan for a satellite production facility in the city of Grand Rapids is the Tier 1 auto supplier’s latest phase of a multi-pronged effort at attracting talent.