$7M in investment by three companies will create 40 jobs

Three small manufacturers are collectively investing $7 million in the Lakeshore region, creating 40 jobs and retaining more than 130. These projects represent growth in the region’s furniture, health care, and metal manufacturing clusters.

Furniture manufacturer Zordan Industries, medical product manufacturer InnerSpace Healthcare, and machine shop Proto-Tec plan to grow in Holland Charter Township, Wright Township and the city of Zeeland.

These expansion plans are another sign of the health of the regional economy, says Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. The economic development organization assisted all three companies in their growth plans and provided state and local resources to support their expansion projects.

“We are thrilled to see continued growth and investment from manufacturers in this region,” Owens says. “These expansion projects underscore the strength of the furniture, health care, and metal manufacturing clusters in Allegan and Ottawa counties. The new facilities and jobs created will provide exciting career opportunities for residents and will contribute to our manufacturing ecosystem.”

Three expansion projects

Zordan Industries, headquartered in Italy, designs and builds retail spaces for luxury retail brands. Zordan operates its two sites as a B Corp with a focus on environmental sustainability and has 20 employees in West Michigan.

The company established its North American presence in Zeeland in 2017, but it soon needed a larger-capacity production facility. It moved to a new location in Holland Charter Township, where it began renovation on a 35,250-square-foot facility with added production equipment. The project will bring production jobs and skilled carpentry jobs to a company with longstanding clients in the luxury fashion brand industry.

The company plans to invest $1.6 million in the project, which will create 21 jobs over the next three years. The Lakeshore region was selected for the expansion because of the company’s established relationships with furniture manufacturers here. Holland Charter Township provided a 12-year tax abatement for this project.

InnerSpace Healthcare manufactures mobile and stationary medical storage products such as carts, cabinets, open storage, and embedded technology and accessories for medical supply storage. The company is headquartered in Wright Township and currently employs 125 people in the region.

InnerSpace is expected to invest more than $4.5 million and create 17 jobs as it expands its Wright Township facility. The 26,000-square-foot expansion will be used to add a stainless-steel processing line, an assembly line, and more warehousing capacity.  Wright Township approved a 12-year tax abatement to support the expansion.

Proto-Tec Inc. is a computer numerical control machine shop serving a wide range of industries including automation tooling, furniture manufacturing and metal stamping. The family-owned, Zeeland-based company currently has six employees.

Proto-Tec will invest $1 million in the renovation of its existing facility to allow for the installation of the area’s largest computer numerical control bridge mill. The expansion will create two jobs and add 3,500 square feet to the facility. The city of Zeeland approved a 12-year tax abatement for the expansion.

“The growth of our region’s existing manufacturers highlights the opportunities for innovation and scaling production in West Michigan,” says Amanda Murray, vice president of business solutions for Lakeshore Advantage. “Our team worked closely with each of these companies to understand their needs and connect them to resources to support their expansions. We look forward to continuing to assist local manufacturers as they create new jobs and invest in their operations and facilities in the Lakeshore region.”