Brewery plans taproom in Grand Rapids

A suburban brewery is planning to expand into Grand Rapids. Ada-based Gravel Bottom Craft Brewery & Supply said today it plans to open an new...

Fortune 500 company expanding West Michigan product design center

A diversified maker of several household brand names is expanding its product design center in the region. Hoboken, New Jersey-based Newell Brands will expand its...

Private equity firm appoints execs for portfolio company

A local private equity firm has named the CEO and CFO for one of its portfolio companies. Grand Rapids-based Blackford Capital said yesterday it appointed...

Anheuser-Busch InBev acquires remaining stake in hard cider maker

Anheuser-Busch InBev has acquired the remaining stake in a West Michigan hard cider maker. AB InBev, through its High End division, recently bought the outstanding...

Fuel distributor acquires company

A local fuel distributor has acquired a company in the region. Grand Rapids-based Crystal Flash said yesterday it purchased Kalamazoo-based Knapp Energy to expand its services in...

College to honor furniture maker CEO

The CEO of an office furniture maker has been selected as the recipient of an award for professional success and community service. Brian Walker, president...

College building $3M manufacturing lab downtown

A college is building a manufacturing training lab downtown to address the shortage of skilled trades and engineering workers. Western Michigan University has started construction...

Winery appoints VP

A winery in the region has named its new vice president. St. Julian Winery in Paw Paw appointed Nancie Oxley to the position. She joined the...

Fremont biodigester reopens

After sitting idle for more than two years, a biodigester in Fremont is open again under new ownership and management. The new owner is San...

Spirits maker ranks No. 1 in national poll

A local company is considered the best spirits maker of its kind in the country after a public vote. Grand Rapids-based Long Road Distillers ranks...

LG Chem hosting job fair

An auto supplier will host a career fair to fill up to 50 positions as it expands its operation. Holland-based LG Chem Michigan Inc., or...

Aerospace supplier investing $6M in expansion

An aerospace supplier is expanding one of its facilities in the region. Plascore is expanding its Aerospace Business Unit facility in Zeeland, at 500 E....

Metal fabricator growing again

A metal stamping business on the lakeshore is planning to expand its facilities. GNS America is planning a 40,000-square-foot addition to its existing facilities, located...
Infographic by Rachel Harper

FINDING AN ENTRANCE: PE searches for craft brewers to buy as M&A activity cools...

After a frenzied period of M&A activity for craft breweries, industry insiders and investors expect the pace of deals to moderate in the near...
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Kalamazoo-based FlowTech sells to new owners to pursue next stage of growth

KALAMAZOO — After two years of looking for manufacturing companies to buy, Dave Kersjes and Steve Remstad found an opportunity in FlowTech Inc., a...
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Second-gen owner plans to take electrical harness manufacturer to new heights

GRAND RAPIDS — When Todd Maines took over his family’s wire-harness business in 2012, he entered the company after years of not being involved...
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West Michigan manufacturers help with hurricane recovery efforts

While Houston was reeling from the effects of Hurricane Harvey, employees of Wolverine World Wide Inc. began circulating an email chain with ideas about...

Produce company branches into making apple cider

A produce company in the region is expanding into the cider-making business. Sparta-based Riveridge Produce Marketing said last week it expanded with the addition of...

Armstrong International donates to Hurricane Harvey relief

An energy-management supplier has issued a donation to help with Hurricane Harvey relief. Three Rivers-based Armstrong International and the Armstrong Foundation said last week they’ve...

CEO sent to prison for tax evasion

The former head of a shuttered southwest Michigan biofuels company has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay $2 million in restitution. John Gerald...