Energetx Composites is investing $37 million to ramp up its production of utility-scale wind turbine blades and other wind energy industry composite parts.

The Holland-based company’s investment will create a projected 1,068 jobs over the next five years. Energetx Composites will hire individuals with manufacturing and engineering experience. 

“We will start really ramping up over the next six to nine months,” says Energetx Composites Principal David Slikkers. “The first thing we need to do is build the tooling necessary for the project.”

Initially, Energetx Composites will not need to expand physically. Slikkers says Energetx Composites will use 20 percent of its existing facility during the startup phase. If all goes well, Energetx Composites could be looking at a future expansion.

Energetx Composites received a state tax credit valued at $27.3 million for the project.

Source: Rapid Growth
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When manufacturers commit to running energy efficient operations, the direct result is often increased productivity and increased profitability. And the time to make the investment is now.

So says Dr. Neal Elliot of the Washington D.C.-based American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Dr. Elliott brings his expertise to West Michigan manufacturers at today's ENERGY SUMMIT 09 at Grand Valley State University's Eberhard Center.

The world is entering a period of resource constraint where resources will no longer be cheap and abundant, says Dr. Elliott. And he expects the federal government to mandate carbon constraints in the future.

"The only option to control the economic damage from high energy prices is to reduce consumption," he says. "Market studies show energy consumption reduction lowers energy prices so all consumers benefit. For manufacturing, the current price uncertainty makes it difficult to plan, and uncertainty discourages investments. We need predictability in the marketplace."

The way Dr. Elliott sees it, West Michigan's manufacturing skills positions the region for investment in energy efficiency. It will take new equipment, worker training and the capacity to produce products for a variety of industries.

"An individual firm can make a difference because investment in energy efficiency is highly cost effective," he says. "Economy-wide, we could easily achieve 30 percent reduction in consumption, and if we go out and look at doing things in a really smart way that could be 50 and 60 percent reductions with what's available today.

"When the economy turns around, manufacturers will not be ready if they don't invest in energy efficiencies today," he adds. "We will see energy prices go through the roof again. If we reinvest in manufacturing, we will be reinventing the quality manufacturing that is the backbone of places like Michigan."

Source: Rapid Growth
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Consumers Energy will present preliminary plans today for a new six-year program to reward customers for reducing electricity consumption at their homes and businesses. The program, Consumers Energy Savings Solutions, will be one of several discussion topics at Energy Summit 09 at Grand Valley State University's Eberhard Center.

Governor Granholm signed a comprehensive energy reform package last October. One of the public policy decisions mandated that Consumers Energy and other energy suppliers would work with customers to reduce electricity consumption 5.5 percent and natural gas consumption by 3.85 percent by 2015, says Jeff Holyfield, Consumers Energy spokesperson.

"We are providing incentives for customers to put in high efficiency furnaces and air conditioning, compact fluorescent light bulbs and we're offering rebate to businesses that install efficient lighting or energy efficient equipment," he says.

Consumers Energy will work through major retailers to offer rebates and price cuts on a variety of energy saving products, including Energy Star rated appliances. The company plans to offer customers a bounty on refrigerators manufactured before 1993, and will provide free pick up and disposal.

The program will be finalized by the end of July. Holyfield says Consumers plans to spend some $500 million on the incentives. A monthly surcharge, about $1.75 for a typical customer, covers the program costs.

"The idea is that if the customers participate in the program they'll save a lot more than the surcharge after [factoring in] the incentive and the long term energy savings," Holyfield says. "The first go-around is going to be all on incentives, but especially on lighting. Energy efficient lighting is the quickest way to move the needle."

Source: Rapid Growth
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A Holland manufacturer has nearly $4 million in upgrades planned that could create 270 new jobs.

According to excerpts from the story:

Source: Grand Rapids Press

A Holland tech company's cell phone technology enables users to monitor homes and businesses remotely through their cell phone. The product, the co ... Read More mpany's fourth innovation, has landed on on the shelves of big box stores nationwide.

According to excerpts from the story:

On most school days, Keith Pustover's Blackberry buzzes with a text message letting him know his son Reese arrived home. Keeping tabs isn't the sixth-grader's mother waiting at home for him, but a wireless door lock. The Schlage LiNK hardware's intelligence comes from Moshi software developed by Holland high-tech firm Crayon Interface LLC.

Other applications let Pustover raise or lower his home's thermostat and switch on or off a lamp in his family room as he watches from his work laptop. It's the fourth product for the 4-year-old company, and its first to hit the national big-box retail market. The latest product, which sells for $299, landed on the shelves of more than 1,600 Lowe's Home Improvement stores nationwide this month.

Read the complete story here.

Source: Grand Rapids Press

The convergence of research opportunities, cardiac care facilities and a medical school has renewed discussions of establishing a cardiac institute ... Read More in Grand Rapids that would provide total cardiac care, including heart transplants.  The opportunity comes just as several cardiac osteopaths look to leave West Michigan Heart in order to strengthen ties to Metro Health.

According to excerpts from the story:

Discussions about establishing a cardiology institute have intensified this year between West Michigan Heart and Spectrum Health, sources said last week. Most of the cardiologists who now comprise the private group of 34 physicians would become members of the cardiology institute, which would tie together clinical practice, research and teaching activities at the Meijer Heart Center, Van Andel Institute and the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, WHM CEO Suzette Jeskie said.

Jeskie said the idea for the institute has been floating around since the heart tower was built. With 330,000 square feet, eight floors and 164 patient beds, it opened next to Butterworth Hospital in downtown Grand Rapids in 2004. “That’s a huge part of our relationship. That’s where our relationship would be centered,” Jeskie said. “I hope its time has come.”

Read the complete story here.

Source: Grand Rapids Business Journal

Today, the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) board approved state tax incentives for two expanding West Michigan companies; GRW Technologies I ... Read More nc. and DornerWorks, Ltd. Utilizing High-Technology/High-Wage MEGA Tax credits, the companies plan to generate 116 new jobs and over $3.5 million in capital investment in West Michigan over the next five years.

The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and the cities of Kentwood (GRW Technologies) and Grand Rapids (DornerWorks), worked with both companies on their expansion projects.

“These projects reaffirm the potential for a knowledge-based manufacturing and design industry in West Michigan. Whether you’re developing software for integrated components or building plastic injection molded parts, it’s all part of a manufacturing process,” stated Birgit Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “These expansion projects provide new jobs and investment in West Michigan and further enhance our regional capacity and expertise in aerospace engineering and advanced manufacturing; an asset that we intend to take full advantage of.”

GRW Technologies Expansion — 66 new jobs, $2,005,000 in capital investment
German-based GRW Technologies Inc., a provider of precision injection molding, is expanding their location in Kentwood to accommodate a new contract with Continental Inc. The company plans to purchase nearly $500,000 in injection molding equipment, invest an additional $1,505,000 in new equipment, and lease an additional 17,500 square feet of space at their Kentwood facility.

The company also considered expanding in San Louise Potosi, Mexico, as currently approximately 65% of their current customers are located in Mexico. Michigan’s incentive program will enable GRW Technologies to stay competitive, while remaining in West Michigan.

DornerWorks, Ltd. — 50 new jobs, $1,500,000 in capital investment
Founded in West Michigan in 2000, DornerWorks is an electronics engineering consulting firm with 46 current employees. Serving a highly diverse customer base including medical devices, automotive and aerospace, the company is expanding to accommodate capacity for new national aerospace customers. DornerWorks anticipates doubling in size over the next five years, creating an additional 50 jobs and $1.5 million in capital investment.

The company also considered various other sites around the country for their expansion including: Richmond, Virginia; Phoenix, Arizona; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and Salt Lake City, Utah. All of which were closer to their national aerospace client base. The incentives provided by the State will enable DornerWorks to offer a high level of customer service and remain competitive while they expand their presence in West Michigan.

With these latest economic development projects, The Right Place, working with its local and state partners, has generated over $39,955,000 million in capital investment and assisted in the retention and creation of over 591 jobs in West Michigan in 2009.
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Source: The Right Place, Inc.

The Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) board, in collaboration with Grand Rapids Township and The Right Place, Inc., today is expected to appro ... Read More ve a High-Technology MEGA Tax Credit for Global Futures & Forex Ltd, an online foreign currency and futures trading company operating under the brand name GFT.

The tax credit, valued at more than $1.3 million over seven years, will support the company’s expansion project in Grand Rapids Township. The company will invest $13.8 million and create 105 new jobs over the next five years through the relocation and expansion.

GFT plans to move its world headquarters from 4760 East Fulton Avenue in Ada Township to an existing building site at 618 Kenmoor Avenue SE in Grand Rapids Township. Making use of the former Mazda Great Lakes location in lieu of developing a greenfield site will not only speed GFT’s expansion efforts, but will also decrease the company’s total environmental impact in West Michigan.

“We’re very pleased to announce this expansion project,” said Gary Tilkin, president & CEO, GFT. “We feel that West Michigan is the best place for our business. The region offers a high-tech, diverse workforce; the type of ‘creative class’ talent GFT needs to succeed.”

GFT is an innovative foreign exchange provider offering individuals and institutions access to global financial markets with its online trading services. It provides its customers with proprietary software, trading technologies and other leading financial tools. Since its 1997 founding, the company has expanding in more than 120 countries, employing 312 worldwide. The 105 additional jobs will add to its current Grand Rapids complement of 146.

“High-tech companies like GFT are a tremendous asset to West Michigan’s growing knowledge-based economy, and we are extremely pleased that they have decided to expand here,” said Birgit Klohs, President and CEO of The Right Place, Inc. “This project would not have happened without the full collaboration and teamwork of Grand Rapids Township and the MEDC. As an international, technology-based organization, GFT had the option to expand anywhere in the world. Our ability to respond quickly and comprehensively to their needs gave us a significant advantage in this project.”

“Our partnership with The Right Place was crucial to the success of this project,” said Tilkin. “Their assistance expediting processes through local municipalities and state project teams was invaluable. With their help, we were able to keep the project moving at the pace we needed.”

With this latest economic development project, The Right Place, working with its local and state partners, has generated over $36,450,000 million in capital investment and assisted in the retention and creation of over 475 jobs in West Michigan in 2009. View Less

Source: The Right Place

Michigan’s underutilized industrial sites – or brownfields – have significant potential to generate clean wind and solar power, establish meanin ... Read More gful new job opportunities and attract investment from the emerging renewable energy innovation business, according to a study released today by Michigan State University’s Land Policy Institute.

The groundbreaking study estimates the total potential wind energy available on Michigan brownfield sites is 4,320 megawatts (Mw) of plate capacity. The study estimates the total potential solar energy available is 1,535 Mw if photovoltaic solar arrays are placed on the brownfield land beneath wind tower installations. The combined estimate of 5,855 Mw of plate capacity is enough to power approximately 1.8 million homes, or nearly 50 percent of Michigan homes.

The study also estimates that transforming brownfields into renewable energy parks would stimulate more than a $15 billion investment in wind and solar energy equipment and related construction and establish more than 17,500 short- and long-term job opportunities in the renewable energy industry.

The economic implications of developing wind energy alone on brownfields would be significant:
o An estimated 2,162 construction jobs.
o About $2.1 billion in construction dollars
o About $519 million in construction wages.
o About $8.8 billion in total investments.
o 196 long term maintenance and operating (M&O) jobs.

The economic implications of developing solar energy on brownfields also would be significant.
o An estimated 14,685 construction jobs.
o About $1.1 billion in construction wages.
o About $1 billion in construction dollars.
o About $6.5 billion in total investment.
o 475 long term M&O jobs.
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Source: MSU/The Right Place
File: Associated File
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