Innovative Solutions for Sustainable Growth

West Michigan’s more than 2,500 manufacturers provide advanced production and design services for almost every industry. Nearly one-fifth of our skilled workforce is involved in manufacturing, supporting such industry clusters as automotive, furniture, plastics, printing and footwear. We are:

• The nation’s 6th largest automotive supplier cluster, with 10 Pace Award winners for innovation
• A global center for the design and manufacture of office interiors, and the world headquarters location for industry leaders Steelcase, Herman Miller, and Haworth
• Named “America’s Greenest City” by Fast Company magazine
• Home to industry leaders in electrochromics, precision metal forming, color recognition technology, engineered plastics, medical devices/instrumentation, and engine cooling systems.

Today’s Innovation for Tomorrow’s Jobs

One of the fastest-growing segments of our economy, however, is life sciences. Fueled by more than $1 billion in recent investment, it includes a world-class molecular cancer research center, university health science facility, and specialized hospitals. Synergy between our existing manufacturing and new life sciences sectors has created new opportunities for area companies in such clusters as biopharmaceuticals, scientific instruments and medical devices. Other recent investments are also driving growth in emerging alternative energy technologies, sustainable products and materials, and aerospace and defense clusters.

Industry Cluster Rankings

West Michigan leads the nation in many manufacturing sectors. In the Clusters of Innovation Project conducted by the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness at Harvard Business School, geographically interconnected companies, specialized suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions across the country were mapped, identifying regional clusters. The rankings represent West Michigan’s prominence among the following industries as compared to 172 other U.S. metropolitan regions.