Latest News & Blogs

As pandemic restrictions ease and businesses begin the transition to a post-pandemic mode of operation, The Right Place team met with leaders from 118 area companies in the month of June. These meetings were designed to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing our regional companies, while offering insight into the region’s overall economic health.

Today, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the City of Walker, announced that pallet racking and storage company, Speedrack Products Group, Ltd., will be expanding its Michigan operations to a new facility at 3060 South Industrial Drive NW in the City of Walker. In addition to a capital investment of nearly $65 million, the expansion will bring more than 160 new jobs to the area.

The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – West (The Center-West), Feyen Zylstra, and DISHER recently announced the formation of a new Preferred Smart Manufacturing Partnership program for West Michigan manufacturers. The program is designed to guide manufacturers through creating sustainable change as they learn about and implement Industry 4.0 technology in their business.

While 2020 may be in the rearview mirror, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge manufacturers, forcing them to find creative solutions to new and old problems alike. Once again, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – West and The Right Place Inc. have partnered with MiBiz to host a new webinar series in 2021 to assist small- and medium-size manufactures in navigating the ever-changing business landscape.

Today, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Newaygo County, and the City of Fremont, announced that Gerber Products will be investing $36 million and creating approximately 50 additional jobs.

Today, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the City of Walker, announced that Chicago-based General Truck Parts & Equipment will open its first operation in Michigan. The company will be located at 2686 3 Mile Road in Walker. In addition, the new operation will bring 7-10 new jobs to the area in the next three years and invest over $500,000 to launch the new operation.

The Right Place, Inc. hosted the second session of its new Navigate 2020 webinar series in mid-June. The webinar featured IHS Markit Executive Director for Automotive Advisory Services, Michael Robinet, who provided a deep dive into the new structures driving post-COVID automotive supplier strategy.

Today, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announced that medical device packaging engineering firm, Packaging Compliance Labs, LLC (PCL) will be expanding its current operations at 4334 Brockton Dr SE in Kentwood. In addition to a capital investment of $2.57 million, the company will bring 27 new jobs to the area.

While the many changes and disruptions that came from the COVID-19 pandemic were not expected as we entered 2020, leaders in all industries have worked hard to restore our nation’s prominence and success as the world continues to respond and recover.

It’s hard to disagree that the business world has changed drastically and will likely never look the same again. Even after lock-downs and social distancing are over, it will be extremely difficult to just turn our computers and businesses back on and return to where we were before the pandemic occurred.