Right Place Inc. announced this week that it assisted three companies—San Diego-based Sequenom, Inc., Grand Rapids-based Bissell Homecare, Inc., and Cascade-based Genesis Seating owned by Leggett & Platt—in expanding and relocating operations in West Michigan. Combined, the companies could generate as many as 941 new jobs over the next five years.
“These companies serve three different industries, and supporting diverse projects like these are vital to driving West Michigan’s economic future,” says George Bosnjak, Right Place spokesperson. “In addition to attracting new companies to the area, we have to continue strengthening our local, existing companies.”
Sequenom is a genetics and molecular diagnostic company providing genetic analysis products and services as well as diagnostic tests addressing prenatal genetic disorders, oncology and infectious diseases. The company is purchasing the Center for Molecular Medicine in Grand Rapids to further develop its non-invasive prenatal tests, which will provide new abilities to test for genetic disorders as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. Sequenom plans to build its own lab in Grand Rapids in the next few years. The project includes a capital investment of approximately $20.25 million over five years and the creation of up to 523 jobs by 2013.
Grand Rapids-based Bissell Homecare is expanding its research and development and marketing capacity at 2345 Walker Ave. NW. The company recently announced plans to expand its operations and was considering the Walker campus as well as a location in China. The Right Place worked with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the city of Walker to develop an incentive package to convince the company to keep the project in West Michigan. The project includes approximately $9 million in investments by Bissell, the retention of 79 existing jobs, and the creation of 106 new positions.
Genesis Seating plans to invest $9.1 million to expand operations in West Michigan, and $3 million to relocate from Cascade Township to Kentwood. The project could create 131 new jobs.
Davidson Plyforms, which shares the Cascade facility with Genesis, will invest $5.6 million to renovate the vacated space and create 45 new jobs.
A third component of the project includes a $620,000 expansion by Grand River Polishing at its Spring Lake Township facility that could create 57 new jobs.
Source: Right Place, Inc.; Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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