Business expansions, community improvement project win state support to invest, add jobs in Michigan

Four business expansions and one community revitalization project that will generate more than $40.8 million in total investment and create 272 jobs in Michigan have received MSF approval for support, the MEDC announced today.

LANSING, Mich. – Four business expansions and one community revitalization project that will generate more than $40.8 million in total investment and create 272 jobs in Michigan have received Michigan Strategic Fund approval for support, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced today.

“Today’s MSF actions will lead to new business growth, revitalized communities and more and better jobs for our residents,” said MEDC Chief Executive Officer Steve Arwood. “These investments demonstrate the strength of Michigan’s economy and the success of our strategy to help companies grow and add jobs here.”

West-Michigan based NVINT Services, LLC, founded in 2009, is a provider of IT infrastructure and network solutions to businesses in the Midwest. The company needs to grow its workforce to keep up with demand and plans to expand its operations in the Grand Rapids area, investing $364,000 and creating 26 jobs within three years. As result, the project has been awarded a $175,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The Right Place is providing staff time and resources in support of the project. For information about careers with NVINT, visit http://www.nvint.com/About-Us/Careers.aspx.

PJ Wallbank Springs, Inc., founded 35 years ago in Port Huron, is the global leader in the design and manufacture of spring packs for automatic transmissions. An engineering-focused company, the organization started by designing and building its own proprietary manufacturing equipment in order to produce its spring packs, a strategy it continues to utilize to this day. Today, the organization exports 40 percent of its production outside of the United States, with more than 60 percent of its export volume being shipped to China. 

The company is currently experiencing significant growth, with production expected to more than double through 2018. PJWS plans to double the current number of customers in China and triple the current number of customers in Europe in the next three years. The organization plans to expand its existing facility in Port Huron, investing $803,000 and creating 68 jobs. As a result, PJWS has been awarded a $350,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant to use toward training and employee recruitment. Michigan was chosen over competing sites in Germany and China. The city of Port Huron has offered support to the project in the form of property tax abatement. For information on careers with PJ Wallbank, visit http://pjws.com/jobs.

“We are very excited about what the future has in store for the members of our organization and our community. Our organization will continue to be built on the efforts of great people,” said P.J. Wallbank Springs, Inc. President Chris Wallbank. “We encourage great people who want to join us in building a world class organization to step forward and contact us. We are particularly excited about our new technical development program, which has the objective of developing world class technical talent for our organization and community.” 

SW North America, Inc. specializes in providing high quality, high performance horizontal CNC machines as well as complete turnkey manufacturing systems to a wide range of industries. The company will be transferring technology for its parent, Schwaebische Werkzuegmaschinen in Germany, to the new USA technical center to support the growing North American market. The company plans to establish its North American headquarters in Lyon Township, investing more than $10 million and creating 50 jobs within three years. As a result, the project has been awarded a $400,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was selected over sites in Ohio and South Carolina. Lyon Township has offered support to the project in the form of property tax abatement. Individuals interested in careers with SW North America should visit http://www.sw-machines.com/en/careers/.

UACJ Automotive Whitehall Industries Inc., established in 1974 as Whitehall Industries, is a leading manufacturer of extruded aluminum components for automotive structural, sunroof and other new design applications including electric vehicles. The company is a subsidiary of UAJC Group, a global aluminum group based in Tokyo. Due to increased demand, Whitehall is in need of additional extrusion and fabrication capacity. The company plans to expand its existing facility and construct a new, 110,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Pere Marquette Charter Township (Mason County). The project is expected to generate total private investment of more than $28.8 million and create 128 jobs within three years. As a result, the company has been awarded a $640,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant that will help offset recruiting and training costs. Michigan was chosen over a competing site in Kentucky. Pere Marquette Charter Township has offered support to the project in the form of potential property tax abatements. Michigan Works! West Central is also supporting the project with $140,000 in training funds. Individuals interested in working for UACJ Whitehall should send their resumes to HR@uwh.uacj-group.com.

“Although we have expanded to Mexico and Kentucky in recent years, Ludington remains our headquarters and where the majority of our technical resources are based,” said UACJ Automotive Whitehall President and Chief Operating Officer David Cooper. “The Ludington workforce is very experienced and highly productive. This, coupled with the generous incentives offered by the State of Michigan and Pere Marquette Township, made Ludington the best option for our expansion.”

The city of Chelsea was awarded up to $525,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for the Mack Building Rehabilitation project on Jackson Street in downtown Chelsea. The project includes the revitalization and repurposing of a vacant, historic building into a fully-occupied downtown development with residential and commercial space. The project is expected to generate private investment of $792,763, and the city of Chelsea will contribute $200,000 over a five-year term. The project is expected to reactivate a long-vacant building into viable space, improving the downtown experience and bringing additional economic activity to the area.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.

For more on the MEDC and its initiatives, visit MichiganBusiness.org. For Michigan travel news, updates and information, visit michigan.org. Michigan residents interested in seeking employment with any of Michigan’s growing companies should check mitalent.org, where more than 85,000 jobs are currently available in a variety of industries.

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.