Author: KMF Infotech

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Innovation on the Lakeshore

Salted Perfection LLC

 

We craft exceptional culinary salts, seasoning blends, and grilling rubs.

Website: www.saltedperfection.com

 

The Story 

Salted Perfection was born out of a passion for flavorful and creative cooking. Terri Wolters had always loved experimenting in the kitchen, blending herbs and spices to create unique seasoning blends. After making custom spice mixes as gifts for friends and family for years, in 2021, Terri’s husband David convinced her to turn her hobby into a business.

 

About the Product

To help you transform ordinary meals into extraordinary culinary delights with our gourmet seasonings. Simple, easy, and unexpectedly delicious. We help you Make Every Dish Memorable®

 

Milestone 

We launched Select Blends, a line of grilling rubs in June. Two of them won Grand Champion awards at grilling cookoffs in Kansas and Iowa. A new flavor Select Blend (Northport) is being used in the World Steak Cookoff competition in Fort Worth, Texas next month and David is attending that as the team we sponsor competes.

 

We also recently became listed on Specialty Food Partners website so our products are available nationwide for grocers to order wholesale.

 

We recently had three registered trademarks awarded by the USPTO.

 

 

 

How SURGE Helped Us

SURGE helped a ton in the very early stages with mentorship and inspiring Terri to move forward with the idea and start selling at the Farmer’s Market. This includes attending SURGE Boostcamp, monthly Founder Roundtables, workshops, AI talks, Happy Hours and Startup Showcases. The SURGE community is amazing and supportive. The group feedback has helped me make difficult decisions like paring back on other ventures, etc.

 

Why SURGE Matters 

I’ve encouraged some budding entrepreneurs to join SURGE. It’s an awesome, supportive community of like-minded people that will get founders started on the right path. Founders have a habit of having an idea, making it, then trying to sell it. SURGE can protect us from ourselves and get us to have an idea, sell the idea to customers and demonstrate the need, then figure out how to make it. We love everyone we’ve met through SURGE and the support and brain trust is simply amazing.

 

What’s Next

We need to figure the next step out. We need to increase sales and increase production, but we need the sales to justify the investment that increasing production would require due to minimum orders, etc. And then there’s warehousing. We can’t store 4000 jars of spices in our garage, the chipmunks would have a field day. We are at a challenging point where we have plenty of traction but don’t have the resources to scale.

 

Advice to Others

Sponsoring competitors exposes our products to potential customers and provides social proof that our stuff is kick-ass. Hopefully they go to their favorite retailer and request them to stock our products and the retailer can order it on SFP.

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News

West Michigan Poised for Growth in Advanced Energy Storage Sector

New report details West Michigan’s role and opportunities in energy storage technology development and production

 

ZEELAND, Mich. (March 14, 2024)—A new report projects ‘high’ potential for business growth in West Michigan for advanced energy storage (AES) and material manufacturing production. The West Michigan Advanced Energy Storage Ecosystem Report was compiled as a collaborative effort by Lakeshore Advantage, The Right Place and Greater Muskegon Economic Development to illustrate the region’s current industry assets and highlight its growth potential.

 

The report categorizes the AES supply chain into six distinct phases and illustrates that West Michigan is active in each. The supply chain starts with raw material sourcing and ends with material recycling. In between are the refining/processing, cell assembly, pack assembly, and end-use stages. The ‘high’ business growth potential for West Michigan identified in the report is in the cell and pack assembly stages, citing logistical advantages for locating cell, pack, and end-use assemblies in proximity.

 

West Michigan Map
West Michigan Map

 

Governor Whitmer recently announced LT Precision Michigan, LLC, a battery cooling plate supplier to electric vehicle manufacturers and subsidiary of Korea-based LT Precision Co., LTD will establish its North American headquarters in Holland.

 

“Michigan is a pivotal location for the automotive industry within the U.S.,” remarked LT Precision Michigan president, Wonseok Yang. “As one of LG’s partners and a provider for many different companies, we want to ensure that we provide stable supply and satisfaction to our clients by choosing Holland.”

 

AES end-use products include EV batteries, grid and stationary energy storage, and national defense applications. The report maps 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.

 

National Map
National Map

 

“We have already begun to see the benefits of having this report at our fingertips,” said Amanda Murray, vice president of business solutions for Lakeshore Advantage. “We met recently with a West Michigan chemical producer that was looking at entering the AES market and was considering locations outside the region. When we shared the report, they saw the possibilities here. It’s a tool we can use to show our businesses that West Michigan is a smart investment.”

 

Anchors and innovators in West Michigan’s AES industry cluster include:

 

  • LG Energy Solution Michigan, Inc. – manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries to power EVs and other applications
  • Gotion Inc. – lithium-ion battery component manufacturing for mobility, appliances, equipment and industrial applications
  • Volta Power Systems – lithium-ion energy storage solutions for RV and specialty vehicle applications
  • Natron Energy – novel sodium-ion technology battery manufacturer for uninterruptable power supply, data centers, and other industrial applications
  • Jolt Energy – research and development of all-organic redox flow, grid-scale energy storage solutions
  • ATC Drivetrain – battery remanufacture, repair, repurpose and recycling

 

Additionally, the report details robust offerings by higher education institutions in West Michigan devoted to workforce development within this sector. Three of the state’s universities and two of the region’s community colleges have devoted programs for training and research in energy storage and related technologies in West Michigan.

 

“Renewable energy is a rapidly growing and evolving field,” said Ferris State University President, Bill Pink. “Ferris State is committed to partnering with industries across this sector to build a highly skilled workforce ready to meet industry demands in West Michigan and beyond, now and long into the future. Partnering like this is in the Ferris State DNA. We are known for such partnerships in preparing the best graduates for the state of Michigan in sectors such as this!”

 

The West Michigan Advanced Energy Storage Ecosystem Report was sponsored by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation in collaboration with Lakeshore Advantage, The Right Place, Greater Muskegon Economic Development, Barry County Chamber and Economic Development Alliance, and the Middle Michigan Development Corporation. The report was produced by DISHER.

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News

West Michigan Lakeshore region advanced energy storage sector grows with Korea-Based LT Precision

LT Precision Michigan, LLC will establish its North American headquarters in Holland, bringing 70 new jobs

 

March 6, 2024

 

Governor Whitmer announced today that LT Precision Michigan, LLC is creating 70 new jobs and investing $43.2 million to establish its North American headquarters in Holland. The company will initiate new manufacturing operations at the Holland location, further bringing supply chains home to Michigan.

 

“LT Precision’s new North American headquarters in Holland will create 70 good-paying jobs and keep bringing the advanced manufacturing supply chain home to Michigan,” said Governor Whitmer. “This investment will build on our strength as the destination for growing companies in the battery and future mobility sectors. Let’s continue going everywhere and working with anyone to win projects and create high-skill, family-sustaining jobs across Michigan.”

 

LT Precision Michigan, LLC, a subsidiary of the Korea-based LT Precision Co., LTD, is renowned for supplying battery cooling plates to electric vehicle manufacturers in the United States. The company excels in producing components and machinery for both electric and conventional vehicle markets. It boasts expertise in designing, developing, and manufacturing machinery parts, molds, welding and assembly machinery, and fixtures for Tier 1 and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) automotive companies.

 

The company’s strategic location in Holland will serve as a central hub for its manufacturing and corporate offices. The project is expected to generate a total investment of $43.2 million and will create 70 new jobs in the production of cooling plates for EVs.

 

“The Lakeshore region’s advanced energy storage cluster continues to grow and thrive,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “LT Precision’s decision to invest in West Michigan’s lakeshore region is a well-earned vote of confidence in our capabilities, talent pool, and business environment. Having LT Precision join our ecosystem will not only create good jobs and investment, but also enhance our cluster’s innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. We look forward to welcoming LT Precision to the community.”

 

The city of Holland has offered a property tax abatement in support of the project.

 

“The City of Holland is excited to welcome LT Precision’s first U.S. manufacturing plant,” said Mark Meyers, director of community and neighborhood services with the City of Holland. “The new facility is a great example of the economic spin-off created from existing manufacturers making business-to-business transactions. The capital investment, and more importantly job creation, is significant.”

 

Read the full press release on LT Precision’s new headquarters in Holland. Those interested in career opportunities at LT Precision can contact the company’s representative, Mr. Kim Sung Jin, at dkss402@ltpr.co.kr.

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Blog

‘Ask Jack’

I have had the privilege to work in communities across the state and to benchmark leading regions throughout the U.S. In almost every one of those best-in-class communities, there is a small group of what I will call “tribal leaders.” These are not always the wealthiest people, highest elected officials, or top CEOs. They are the community truth-tellers and historians—the ones everyone turns to for direction and feedback when things go right or wrong. They are sometimes the behind-the-scenes puppet masters moving the community forward.  

 

When I arrived in the Lakeshore region, in my initial discussions with key stakeholders, I kept hearing: “You’ll have to ask Jack about that,” “Jack would remember that information,” “I’m not sure, but you should ask Jack.”  

 

 

 

Jack, or John Jack Marquis, was a prominent local attorney who recently passed away. You can find more information about Jack, his community commitment, and how to honor his legacy HERE. 

 

Jack was the founder of Lakeshore Advantage and the first board chair. He was the legal architect behind much of downtown Holland’s redevelopment efforts when the downtown needed reinvigoration. Jack was a key board member and thought leader for the Community Foundation of Holland/Zeeland, Holland Hospital, and countless others. You won’t find many articles about him. He avoided the spotlight.  He didn’t smile much, but you always knew where you stood with Jack.  

 

I also learned that Jack mentored many female attorneys, recognizing the need to grow more women in legal leadership roles. Jack was a truth teller, a historian, and a community compass. Our community is immensely stronger because of his contributions. Even though he would hate the recognition, I want to give a loud thanks to the heavens – thank you, Jack. 

 

 

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