Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) recently announced that two business expansion projects have received support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

According to a news release, the investments by Coastal Container and Hudsonville Creamery are projected to create 138 new jobs and generate a total private investment of $87.7 million.

“With 4.3% unemployment, strong small business growth and rising wages, our economy is on the move, and I will stay focused on the fundamentals that matter most to working families and communities while ensuring Michigan leads the way in key industries like manufacturing and agribusiness,” Whiter said, according to the release. “I will keep fighting to bring more jobs and investment to Michigan and work with anyone to grow our economy.”

Based in the city of Holland, Coastal Container will expand its company facility, adding 65,000 square feet of manufacturing space and new equipment, including a rail spur for delivery of raw material. This is expected to decrease the company's yearly consumption of diesel fuel by more than 150,000 gallons.

The expansion project is predicted to generate a total capital investment of at least $22 million and create a minimum of 62 jobs. The project is supported by a $264,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

“Our family has been in the corrugated business for 60 years,” Coastal Container CEO Brent Patterson said, according to the news release. “In these past couple of years, Coastal Container has seen tremendous growth, which allows us to make this expansion to better serve our customers and community.” 

Hudsonville Creamery and Ice Cream Co. will expand its facility in Holland, including adding manufacturing space, new equipment, renovated employee facilities and a wastewater treatment plant.

The project will receive a capital investment of $65.7 million and create 76 jobs. The project will be supported by a $1 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

“Hudsonville Ice Cream commitment to west Michigan is a great example of the continued strength of west Michigan’s agribusiness industry, and to see Coastal Container continue to thrive is exciting,” Lakeshore Advantage President Jennifer Owens said, according to the news release. “We applaud both companies on their continued success.”

“The decisions by Coastal Container and Hudsonville Ice Cream to expand in Michigan highlight the enduring strength of Michigan’s value proposition, which includes a talented workforce, diverse industries and the shared commitment to ensuring that a business environment exists that creates long-term economic growth in our state,” said Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of MEDC and president and chairman of the Michigan Strategic Fund board, according to the release. 

“These projects are representative of our holistic, people-first approach to economic development that rewards risk-takers while further securing Michigan’s leadership in the industries that will propel our economy into the future,” Messer said.