The Right Place assists Italian plywood producer locate first North American operation in Greater Grand Rapids

Today, The Right Place, Inc. announced that Italian specialty plywood producer, E. Vigolungo S.p.A., has opened its first North American operation at 4999 36^th St. SE in Cascade Township, the first Italian-owned poplar plywood company to establish operations as a United States corporation.

E. Vigolungo North America, Inc., is a recently formed subsidiary of E. Vigolungo S.p.A., a fifth-generation, family-owned manufacturer of multiple varieties of specialty plywood used in high-end furniture, cabinetry, automotive, marine, and other applications. The parent company is headquartered in Canale, Italy with 160 employees that serve customers across the globe and continues to see its international customer base grow. Vigolungo Plywood has been exporting products to North America and around the world for decades, and decided now was the time to locate operations in the United States to address the rapidly growing market.

“As Vigolungo Plywood continues to expand our global operations, we found that Greater Grand Rapids is a perfect location for our continued growth,” explains Vera Vigolungo, president of the new U.S. company, E. Vigolungo North America. “The business environment here has been extremely welcoming, and West Michigan puts us near many existing and potential customers in the US and Canada. We’re grateful to the team at The Right Place for their collaborative support and many valuable introductions as we open our first sales office in North America.”

The Right Place worked closely with the company to assist them in choosing the Greater Grand Rapids region rather than other out-of-state locations. Through the International Soft Landing Program, The Right Place connected E. Vigolungo North American Inc. with professional service providers for legal, accounting, banking, housing, employee benefits, logistics, and other required support.

“E. Vigolungo S.p.A. is a sustainable manufacturer with high-quality specialty products,” said Brent Case, Vice President of Business Attraction for The Right Place and project lead. “After working closely with the leadership team from Italy, we’re excited they chose Greater Grand Rapids as their first North American location, and we look forward to watching them add employees and grow here in West Michigan.”

“We are elated to welcome E. Vigolungo North America Inc. to our community and honored to be the home of its first operation in North America,” said Cascade Township Supervisor Grace Lesperance. “This move affirms Cascade Township is open for business, and it will help fuel our local economy and bring great jobs to the community.”