Announcements

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Formerly known as the State of Michigan’s Skilled Trades Training Fund (STTF), the Going PRO Talent Fund provides funds to companies for short term, in-demand training. Training is not limited to “skilled trade” occupations; training has included welding, CNC operator, CNC programmer, robotics, IT training, electronic health records, and on-the-job training for individuals to be hired. Here are just a few Southwest Michigan companies earning awards at the end of 2018 for a total of 107 new jobs and 558 retained workers trained:

• A & O Mold and Engineering
• Abbott
• American Axle & Manufacturing
• Eimo Technologies, Inc.
• Erbsloeh Aluminum Solutions
• Kalamazoo X-Ray Sales
• KSS Enterprises
• Le Vannes, Inc.
• MANN+HUMMEL USA Inc.
• National Flavors, Inc.
• OptiMed Specialty Pharmacy
• Parker Fluid Connectors, Brass
• Senior Care Partners
• Sigma Machine Inc.
• Singh Automation
• TEKNA
• Weber Specialties Company
• White Pigeon Paper Company
• XL Machine Company, Inc.
• Zoetis Inc.

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Schupan & Sons is expanding at not one—but two—locations in Kalamazoo! The company’s manufacturing division expects to add 40,000 square feet and an additional 50 employees over the next three years. The electronics recycling division anticipates growing its footprint by an additional 30 employees over the next three years. Both projects will increase existing manufacturing capacities and add needed office space.

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Whirlpool Corporation, a multinational manufacturer and marketer of home appliances, is investing almost $8 million to create a new daycare facility in Benton Harbor for its employees. The number of new jobs created will be 39.

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Gast Manufacturing, a supplier of pneumatic products, is bringing 30 new jobs to Benton Harbor with its $6,051,000 investment.

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Albemarle, a global specialty chemicals company, announced 14 new jobs in South Haven. The site is FDA-registered and implements cGMP in the production of over 40 different products from APIs and advanced intermediates to FDA-regulated additives.

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LogiQuip Healthcare Storage Solutions, a leading provider of high-quality and future-focused storage systems designed exclusively for healthcare use, invested $100,000 in leasehold and equipment improvements at its Galesburg location.

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Environ Manufacturing is bringing 7 new jobs to Hartford.

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Kalamazoo Mechanical, Inc., a local mechanical contractor, expanded its duct fabrication capabilities with a 10,000-square-foot physical plant expansion in Kalamazoo.

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St. Julian Winery is growing in Paw Paw with a $2 million investment.

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Kalamazoo Industries, Inc., a local manufacturer of industrial saws, grinders and dust extraction equipment, is growing in Comstock Charter Township. It will add three new job as part of its $150,000 investment to increase finished goods warehousing and the number of loading docks to improve process flow and manufacturing capacity.

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Pushard Welding, a family owned metal fabricator invested $100,000 in its Paw Paw facility.

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Sturgis Molded Products, a plastic injection molding specialist in Sturgis, is investing $3 million in its facility and equipment to accommodate growth from a new product line.

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Global pharmaceutical-industry leader Pfizer will manufacture a line of injectable drugs at a two-story, 400-000-square-foot facility to be built at its Portage campus in Kalamazoo County. When completed, Pfizer claims the injectable drug processing facility will be one of the largest in the western hemisphere, employing 450.

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Michigan Pure Med, a vertically-integrated pharmaceutical medical cannabis company, will eventually employ 400 in a growing and processing facility in Marshall.

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Dicastal Logistics Group will locate a new operation in Hagar Township and create 100 new jobs. Based in Qinhuangdao City, China, the company is a distribution organization for the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum wheels for the auto industry.

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Dennis Group expects to invest more than $600,000 and hire more than 65 employees over the next three years in Battle Creek. The company provides design, engineering, and construction management services for the food and beverage industry.

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Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet is experiencing consistent growth in North America and is positioning itself to expand further into global markets. The leading manufacturer of premium grills, pizza ovens, cabinets and luxury outdoor cooking equipment for residential outdoor kitchens plans to expand operations in Comstock Charter Township by investing $3.1 million in its facilities and boosting its workforce with 31 new jobs.

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Walther Farms, a third-generation potato farm, is investing $8 million in the construction of a new 110,000-square-foot refrigerated warehouse in Mottville Township near Three Rivers. The expansion will create 12 new jobs.

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Michigan Milk Producers Association, a dairy farmer-owned cooperative and dairy producer serving more than 1,700 farmers in the Midwest, plans to add a new 7,500-square-foot processing area to its existing facility in Constantine. The project is expected to generate a total investment of $24 million and create 11 jobs.

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Based in Marcellus Township, custom plastics injection molding firm TriStar Molding is investing $360,000 to add finished goods warehousing space as well as incoming and outgoing loading docks. The project will improve the safety of the company’s manufacturing space, boosting process flow and create three new jobs.

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To accommodate Stryker’s continuing growth, the company’s medical division formalized plans to expand its facility in the city of Portage by 253,000 square feet, choosing the region over competing sites in other states. The move comes with a $110 million investment and the creation of 260 high-paying jobs.

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Chem Link, offering high performance sealants and adhesives in Schoolcraft, received a state transportation economic development grant to improve access to its facility.

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XL Machine, a turnkey supplier of precision build-to-print components and assemblies, will expand its shipping area to accommodate increased product demand from Three Rivers.

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Mendon Seed Growers will establish a new location in Sturgis. The company received a $50,000 performance-based grant from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to create a full-service, turnkey seed production facility.

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Due to increased production volume, Banks Hardwoods, a valued supplier of hardwoods in White Pigeon, expanded its warehousing space by 30,000 square feet.

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American Axle & Manufacturing, a global leader in driveline, metal forming, powertrain and casting technologies for automotive, commercial and industrial markets will use a grant award from the Michigan Skilled Trades Training Fund to equip new employees with jobs skills at its Three Rivers location.

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Tenneco, a global manufacturing company that offers clean air and ride performance solutions to diversified markets including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway equipment and the aftermarket, is converting a site in Marshall to a dedicated service manufacturing center.

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All That Jazz, a custom embroidery company, announced the purchase of 360,000 square feet in the former Kirsch Building in Sturgis, where it will operate a warehousing and distribution operation.

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Prairie Farms Dairy invested in a state-of-the-art bottling plant in Battle Creek. The facility will be the farmer-owned cooperative’s only bottling plant producing ultra-high pasteurized milk products.

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SELECT Products Limited consolidated operations in a new facility in Oshtemo Township to accommodate light machining and assembly work, with the potential for future expansion, including an aluminum anodizing facility. The company manufactures commercial continuous geared aluminum door hinges for the architectural hardware industry.

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The Southwest Michigan Tooling Collaborative based in Kalamazoo pooled resources to obtain a collaborative application to Michigan’s Skilled Trades Training Fund for a grand award for on-the-job training on Cimatron software, EDM (electrical discharge machining) machines and welding.

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Lawson Aviation, specializing in the overhaul of Continental and Lycoming engines, purchased three acres in the city of Three Rivers Airport Industrial Park to build an addition to its growing business.

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Michigan Tool Works has completed its purchase of Luttmann Precision Mold in Sturgis, acquiring the building, equipment and 30 employees.