Inside West Michigan’s Manufacturing Industry: Lessons from Local Manufacturers

How West Michigan Manufacturing Fosters Community

At The Right Place, we create opportunities for industry leaders to come together and engage in real-world discussions impacting their day-to-day operations in order to share best practices and solve common challenges.

Two of our industry councils, The Manufacturers Council and Supply Chain Management Council, are invited to Best Practice tours across West Michigan several times a year. During these tours, local manufacturers open their doors and invite our members in to learn about their company’s history and growth while taking them directly onto the shop floor.

These events allow our members to gain inspiration for continuous improvement while also building new partnerships right here in Greater Grand Rapids.

Visiting Nucraft, West Michigan Office Furniture Manufacturing

Nucraft hosted The Right Place Manufacturers Council in May. Andrew DeYoung, VP of Marketing and Product Development, kicked off the event with an overview of the company, sharing impactful stories, its history of stewardship, and its commitment to employees. Carl Nelson, Director of Operations, then took attendees onto the shop floor and provided an inside look into the company’s production lines.

Key Takeaways from the Nucraft Tour

• What attendees saw on the Nucraft tour: Council members witnessed the true Nucraft craftsmanship and processes through which wood veneers are transformed into office furniture and the critical steps taken to produce quality products for customers.
• Tour highlights: Attendees learned about the various wood processing and paneling techniques supported by machinery, the different tree species Nucraft uses, and how the company prioritizes safety while handling materials and assembling products seamlessly. They also learned about the complete production process, from assembling and gluing to staining, tech setup, packing, and shipping.
• Safety as the foundation: The event concluded with a brief overview of the 5S system implemented across the workforce and how Nucraft keeps employees accountable in their daily work.

Touring ITW Drawform: Deep-Draw Metal Stamping and Supply Chain Operations

Members of our Supply Chain Management Council were welcomed to ITW Drawform for a glimpse into their facility and the strategy behind their business. Attendees heard from Jason Freiburger, Senior Operations Manager, about the steps ITW has taken to invest in its workforce, employees, and products to ensure safety, quality, and efficiency.

Key Takeaways from the ITW Drawform Facility Tour

• ITW overview: Attendees learned about ITW’s workforce development initiatives, unique deep-draw metal stamping capabilities, product development processes, and the tools used to support operations. The company also highlighted its commitment to safety, quality efficiency, continuous improvement, and community volunteerism.
• Tour from the inside: Three front-line leaders, Mark Howard, Kevin Groeneveld, and Stan Jones, each guided attendees through their assigned areas: North, South, and the Tooling Area. Attendees saw how sheets of metal are transformed into stamped parts and how the company has standardized job responsibilities through visual identifiers and systems across the shop floor.

Why West Michigan Manufacturers Should Host Industry Council Tours

Becoming a council member at The Right Place is valuable. By joining the Manufacturers Council or Supply Chain Management Council, your organization gains a voice in the West Michigan manufacturing and supply chain business community. Members get to be at the forefront of conversations focused on positioning West Michigan as an industry hub.

As part of being a council member, you gain access to plant tours inside local manufacturing facilities across West Michigan, while also having the opportunity to host tours at your own facility. By welcoming a group of local industry leaders into your organization, it can bring greater awareness to your business while also creating an opportunity to showcase your team members and the work you do.

Each council member is not only eager to connect with the community, but also learn from what their peers are doing across West Michigan. These tours create meaningful conversations around processes, strategy, workforce development, and continuous improvement. Attendees are often curious and ask thoughtful questions that can challenge perspectives, spark new ideas, or help sharpen current strategies.