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Press Releases

Lakeshore Advantage Supports Three Expansion Projects

 40 new jobs and over $7 million investment in West Michigan’s lakeshore region

 

ZEELAND, Mich. – Lakeshore Advantage announces three small business manufacturers are investing in West Michigan’s lakeshore region, creating 40 new jobs and retaining more than 130. These projects represent growth in the region’s furniture, healthcare, and metal manufacturing clusters.

 

“We are thrilled to see continued growth and investment from manufacturers in this region,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “These expansion projects underscore the strength of the furniture, healthcare, 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.”

 

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.

 

“The growth of our region’s existing manufacturers highlights the opportunities for innovation and scaling production in West Michigan”, said 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.”

 

Zordan Industries, headquartered in Italy, designs and builds retail spaces for luxury retail brands. The company established its North American presence in Zeeland in 2017 for optimal production and service delivery to its North American client-base. Zordan operates its two sites as a B Corp with a focus on environmental sustainability and currently has 20 employees in West Michigan.

 

 

 

Zordan’s operations in the North American market required a larger capacity production facility not available at the company’s previous site. The company 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 as well as skilled carpentry jobs within 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 new jobs over the next three years. West Michigan’s lakeshore region was selected for the expansion due to the company’s established relationships in the furniture manufacturing cluster in the region. Holland Charter Township provided a 12-year tax abatement to support 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 new jobs as it expands its existing facility in Wright Township. 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 InnerSpace expansion project.

 

 

 

Proto-Tec, Inc. is a computer numerical control (CNC) machine shop serving a wide range of industries including automation tooling, furniture manufacturing, metal stamping and more. 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 CNC bridge mill. The expansion will create two new jobs and add 3,500 square feet to the facility. The City of Zeeland approved a 12-year tax abatement in support of Proto-Tec, Inc.’s expansion.

 

 

 

Lakeshore Advantage assisted all three companies in navigating their growth plans and providing state and local resources to support their expansion projects.

 

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Investor Spotlight

Investor Spotlight

Kent Ensing

Kent Ensing is the President of Global Concepts Enterprise in Holland since 2021. Prior to that he spent 20 years with Herman Miller and left as the Vice President of Global Supply Management. He provides leadership in the development and implementation of long-term strategies that provide Global Concepts with the best possible manufacturing and global value streams to meet customers’ needs while mitigating risk. He previously worked in the field of aerospace with Howmet Corporation and in the contract furniture arena with Nucraft Furniture. His roles included product engineering, engineering management, materials management, logistic leadership, and supply chain management.
Kent has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and an MBA from Western Michigan University.
Kent is a former board member of a community agency responsible for business development and a multi-national board focused on sustainable business practices. He is active in his community through volunteer activities with various groups and boards focused on improving the life of social and economically – disadvantaged individuals. 

 

What led you down your professional path?  

 

I have always had a keen interest in understanding how things work and are put together.  I chose a career in engineering and focused on product development early in my career.  I was always looking for better ways to solve problems, either with simplification or innovation.   

 

 

What were some key turning points for you in your career? 

 

During one of my earlier jobs, I was given the opportunity to lead a large capital improvement project. Most of the project was familiar to me with plant design, process flow, and equipment layout. However, the new part was the equipment procurement which included specification design, negotiation and contract management. I completely enjoyed that aspect of the project which pivoted my career to supply chain management. Shortly thereafter, I was offered a New Product Development Supply Management role at Herman Miller. It was the perfect opportunity for me to blend my technical and business skills in a role focused on new products.  I spent 20 years with Herman Miller and left as their VP of Global Supply Management. I joined Global Concepts almost 3 years ago. 

 

 

Why is it a priority for Global Concepts to invest in our regional economy?   

 

I have lived in West Michigan my whole life. It is a great place to live and raise a family. I have done business extensively around the US and the world and I strongly believe that West Michigan is a great place for businesses. One of the most appealing aspects of the area is the diversity of industries, processes, and talent. The biggest concern will be the demand for talent over the next couple of years and having enough appropriate cost housing for the influx of people to fill all of the projected openings. 

 

What projects or initiatives have you most excited right now? 

 

With the supply chain crisis the last couple of years, we have seen an increased priority by our customers to de-risk their supply chains and look at either multi-streams of supply or a strategy to have their products produced regionally. Global Concepts has nine manufacturing and distribution locations around the world with three of them in West Michigan which allow us to support our customer’s global sourcing strategies. 

 

We are also excited about diversifying our customer and industry concentration.  We were founded by individuals from the furniture industry.  While our fastest growing segment is medical components, we are still very focused on furniture.  We also partner with customers in the construction and automotive industries. 

 

 

Talk to us about workplace culture. What are some values that you and your team live by?  

 

Global Concepts thrives because of our great group of team members.  We are certified minority owned which helps drive diversity and inclusion in our strategies from all team members.  We focus on the “whole” team member and not just the part that we see at work every day.  We try to develop team members and promote from within whenever possible.  This approach has led to many long tenured team members. 

 

 

What is a book that you’ve read or an influencer that you’ve listened to recently that has made you a better leader?  

  

I listen to the podcast “How I Built This” with Guy Raz when I exercise.  Hearing the stories from company founders allows me to have a better understanding of the multiple paths and the various struggles that they needed to overcome on their way to success.  In most of the stories the theme of perseverance and agility is resounding. 

 

  

 

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Press Releases

$6.1M in Revitalization and Placemaking Program funds will support 17 West Michigan placemaking projects

Originally published by The Right Place

 

(GRAND RAPIDS, MICH) – West Michigan economic development organizations Greater Muskegon Economic Development, Lakeshore Advantage, and The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announces that $6.1 million in funding from the Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) Program will help spur the development of 17 placemaking projects totaling over $41 million across the region. The funds were approved last week in Lansing at a special Michigan Strategic Fund meeting.

 

Holland Community Ice Skating Park – City of Holland, Ottawa County

 

RAP is an incentive program that deployed $100 million in American Rescue Plan funding to address the COVID-19 impacts in Michigan communities. This recent distribution is the second round of funding available to the region. In 2022, the region received $3.6 million to support nine projects.

 

The 17 projects receiving funding:

Fennville Downtown Amphitheater        City of Fennville, Allegan County                       $112,500

Mahan Park Improvement Project            City of Allegan, Allegan County                          $160,000

City of Hastings DDA Streetscape           City of Hastings, Barry County                           $474,500

Looking Glass River Plaza                         City of Portland, Ionia County                           $200,000

36th Street Marketplace                            City of Wyoming Kent County                           $450,000

Sullivan Field  Restoration                       City of Grand Rapids, Kent County                    $680,000

Dwight Lydell Park Restoration              Plainfield Township, Kent County                      $175,000

Cascade Library Outdoor Gardens          Cascade Twp, Kent County                                  $450,000

Improvements to Canal Park                    City of Grand Rapids, Kent County                   $750,000

Garden Club Park Phase II                        City of Rockford, Kent County                            $335,000

Thornapple River Pedestrian Bridge         Ada Township, Kent County                               $425,000

Depot Trail Head Park                               City of Big Rapids, Mecosta County                   $450,000

Stone Hatchery Park                                  Green Township, Mecosta County                     $54,000

West Colby Promenade                             City of Whitehall, Muskegon County                  $247,500

Vida Weaver Park Pavilion                         Village of Hesperia, Newaygo County                 $45,000

Shelby Community Park                            Shelby Township, Oceana County                      $112,500

Holland Community Ice Skating Park     City of Holland, Ottawa County                         $800,000

 

“Collaboration with our regional partners has led to another successful advancement for our communities,” said Marla Schneider, President of Greater Muskegon Economic Development. “As West Michigan continues to grow, the new developments in our communities are yet another testament to our unwavering commitment to the prosperity of our current and future citizens and businesses.”

 

Fennville Downtown Amphitheater – City of Fennville, Allegan County

 

“This funding speaks to the power of collaboration in strengthening places and spaces across the West Michigan region,” said Jennifer Owens, President of Lakeshore Advantage. “Vibrant city spaces are a crucial component to attracting and retaining the people who live and work here, and who keep our economy strong.”

 

“Placemaking and community development is economic development, said Tim Mroz, Senior Vice President of Community Development at The Right Place, Inc. “That’s why The Right Place is so committed to this work. The communities included in this RAP grant get it. They understand that tomorrow’s growing, vibrant communities are investing in placemaking today. Those actions will pay dividends for decades to come.”

 

Mahan Park Improvement Project, City of Allegan, Allegan County

 

A collaborative team from The Right Place, Lakeshore Advantage, and Greater Muskegon Economic Development led the application process for the West Michigan communities applying for funds. Applications were due in June. All recipients were notified earlier this week. The project team solicited potential projects from a 13-county area. The organizations received 41 regional placemaking applications from 11 counties, totaling over $91 million. An internal team then evaluated all applications, scoring each one according to the priorities set forth by the MEDC. In the end, 17 placemaking projects were selected from 9 different counties with new, innovative ideas to reactivate lost, underutilized, or vacant spaces.

 

The RAP program provides access to real estate and place-based infrastructure development gap financing through grants of up to $5 million per project for real estate rehabilitation and development, grants of up to $1 million per project for public space improvements, and grants of up to $20 million to local or regional partners who develop a coordinated subgrant program.

 

Eligible applicants were individuals or entities working to rehabilitate vacant, underutilized, blighted, and historic structures and the development of permanent place-based infrastructure associated with traditional downtowns, social zones, outdoor dining, and placed-based public spaces. The RAP program awarded funding to eligible applicants based on one or more competitive application rounds.

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Announcements

West Michigan Lakeshore Product and Technology Startups Gain Momentum for Accelerated Growth

Three SURGE startups receive awards from state innovation program 

 

HOLLAND, Mich. – Three members of Lakeshore Advantage’s SURGE program were selected to receive Business Accelerator Fund (BAF) awards. These funds are aimed at helping small businesses in the advanced technology sector along their path to commercialization. Awards are competitive and typically given to companies with promising innovations involving intellectual property. 

 

“Lilypad Labs has worked closely with Lakeshore Advantage since our inception in January 2021” said Dana Lowell, CEO, Lilypad Labs. “They have been instrumental in helping us bring carbon-free boating to West Michigan.” 

 

BAF awards are used to engage third-party specialists such as marketing agencies, regulatory consultants, legal services, and other types of providers that offer services which are otherwise not available to them through their business accelerator.  

 

The Business Accelerator Fund is administered by the Michigan Small Business Development Center in partnership with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and is available to participating accelerators in Michigan’s statewide SmartZone network. Clients of SmartZone-participating accelerators, like SURGE, participate in the program by working with their accelerator to submit a proposal. SURGE Member startups selected for awards include: 

 

Lilypad Labs uses clean energy and autonomous mobility technologies to offer an approachable, alternative boating experience designed to bring people together on the water with little to no boating expertise.  

 

 

  • Service Provider: Varnum 
  • Project Description: Funds will be used to facilitate the preparation of a template Lease Agreement. This agreement is designed for use between Lilypad Labs and its initial “fleet managers,” governing the terms and conditions for the use and rental of Lilypad Labs’ solar boats. Lilypad Labs is dedicated to sustainable transportation solutions and this award will help streamline business operations and expand their environmentally friendly offerings. 

 

 

 

Rebel Cultures uses patent-pending technology that mimics a perfect plant tissue culture environment to untangle one of the most complex processes in plant production for a more affordable, equitable, sustainable, and enjoyable world with enough plants. 

 

 

  • Service Provider: EVO Engineering 
  • Project Description: Funds will be used to create an interactive display of Rebel Cultures’ “Plant Replica,” which will be showcased at the prestigious AmericanHort’s Cultivate 2023 event. This grant will allow Rebel Cultures to present their groundbreaking work to a broader audience, fostering connections and opportunities for growth. 

 

 

 

Revolin Sports brings high-performance, reliable, and eco-friendly pickleball equipment to players across the nation. 

 

 

  • Service Provider: Plug Digital 
  • Project Description: Funding will be utilized to revamp and update Revolin Sports’ website, which is a crucial component of their planned national marketing campaign. A previous BAF award received by Revolin Sports was instrumental in the initial development of their marketing strategy. With this new funding, they aim to elevate their online presence and expand their reach to a wider audience across the nation. 

 

“Lakeshore Advantage has been a great support to Revolin Sports for the past 3+ years” said Hugh Davis, Revolin Sports. “They have been instrumental in helping us to successfully enter the growing Pickleball market through their robust programming, connections, and resources. This includes our participation in their SURGE Boostcamp program, ongoing business coaching/mentorship, vendor support, access to top-notch facilities, fun and informative events, and access to capital through the Business Accelerator Fund.” 

 

SURGE startups additionally raise capital from sources including venture capital, business loans, microloans, and more. In 2023, more than 30 SURGE member startups have raised a combined $1.2 million to-date. 

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