GROW YOUR BUSINESS HERE
A skilled workforce, supportive business climate, robust infrastructure, and access to a legendary manufacturing base make West Michigan’s lakeshore a great place to do business.
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Talent in Ottawa and Allegan Counties
We have the talent you need to succeed here. Ottawa and Allegan counties are the #1 and #4 fastest-growing counties in Michigan. The growth, coupled with Grand Valley State’s top 60-rated engineering program and the new Grand Rapids Community College Lakeshore Campus that features manufacturing labs, primes the local talent pipeline for advanced manufacturing growth.
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Housing on the Lakeshore
Great Communities, Great Recreation, Great Place to Call Home.
Our area offers diverse recreational opportunities, sandy beaches, unique downtowns and cultural activities, award-winning schools, and abundant job opportunities. As we grow and more people choose to live here, desirable housing options are being planned and developed at all price points.
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Transportation and Logistics
The region is ideally located between Detroit, the world’s automotive capital, and Chicago, the third largest city in the US. With well-connected roads, rails, and shipping lanes, we are less than three hours from Detroit, four hours from Canada, and a day’s drive to anywhere in the Midwest and Central US. The nearby Gerald R. Ford International Airport offers 120 daily nonstop scheduled flights to 24 major market destinations.
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Our Investment
Lakeshore Advantage is your advantage in securing a business location and connecting you with the resources you need to succeed. We will help you navigate Michigan, regional, and local incentives to make your area investment an excellent business decision.
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Incentives
Lakeshore Advantage is your concierge in business growth. Our expert staff navigate dozens of state and local tools and incentives so you can focus on delivering visionary solutions for your clients.
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Business Infrastructure
The West Michigan Lakeshore is a world-class leader in energy security, affordability, sustainability, and efficiency. Consumers, DTE, and our municipal boards of public works, provides companies with efficient and cost-saving energy opportunities.
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Advanced Energy Storage Sector
AES end-use products include EV batteries, grid and stationary energy storage, and national defense applications. The report below includes maps of the current AES landscape in West Michigan with nearly two dozen businesses providing solutions for varied energy storage applications or products and services across the supply chain.
The Lakeshore Region by the Numbers
AT A GLANCE
- Population: 422,083
- Median Age: 38.7
- Average Commute: 21.6 minutes
- Mftg. Employment: 30%
HOUSING AND HOUSEHOLDS
- Households: 157,315
- Housing Units: 170,333
- Median Value of Owner-Occupied Housing: $284,450
EDUCATION
- High School Graduation (or higher): 92.5%
- Bachelor’s Degree (or higher): 31.7%
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If you’re looking to be part of the design, engineering, manufacturing, and integration of advanced energy storage solutions, Michigan is the place to be for where these industries are growing, where you can get connected to resources, and where you can be part of creating a clean energy future.MICHAEL DIRAMIOCorporation for a Skilled Workforce
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I think it is the family tradition, the culture, the inheritance that they have that makes them invest and live and work and play in this community, and we’re all richer for it.JIM BULTMANFormer President of Hope College
Reach out to Amanda Murray if you are interested in learning more about positively impact our region’s economic health and growth.