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 A joint venture partnership that stretches from Middleville to Holland and Zeeland is happening because of the networking formed on Grand Rapids' Medical Mile.
It is the classic case of one company, LumenFlow Corp. in Middleville, having a great idea and finding a partner, Venntis Technology LLC in Holland, that could make it happen.
They were brought together by a third party organization that is all about helping move new ideas to market: the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative at Grand Valley State University (WMSTI) and the West Michigan Medical Device Consortium.
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A consortium of companies including casual footwear maker Wolverine World Wide Inc. on May 1 announced plans to acquire Collective Brands Inc. for nearly $2.0 billion, including the assumption of debt.
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As lawmakers weigh proposed changes to Michigan's personal property tax, the chief advocate for outright repeal offers analysis that claims it could spur the creation of thousands of jobs, nearly making up for the resulting decline in tax revenues for local communities and schools.
An economic analysis commissioned by the Michigan Manufacturers Association concludes that eliminating the personal property tax — on top of the 2011 reforms enacted in the state's business tax structure — would drive a "notable increase" in business investment. That ultimately could create between 20,000 and 45,000 new jobs, according to the analysis prepared by the Lansing-based Anderson Economic Group.
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 After more than 40 years of marriage, Eileen Kanaar knows what it takes to get her husband, Greg, to listen. But now that she's majority owner of their family-owned business, she's also learning what it's like to be his boss.
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 Brad Davis is president of Industrial Woodworking Corporation in Zeeland, but he says he’s first and foremost a designer. He’s designed and redesigned a lot of office and residential furniture, but says these days he’s most excited about the furniture he’s designing under the Knú brand for hospitals. La-Z-Boy Contract Furniture purchased the Knu brand at NeoCon 2011, but it’s all still designed, developed and manufactured at IWC.
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 Industrial designer Tom Newhouse has been committed to environmentally sensitive design for 40 years — long before the word “sustainability” was coined. Committed to “walking the talk,” Newhouse designed and constructed his own passive solar, earth-sheltered home and studio on Grand Rapids’ west side when he was only 28. He’s been driving hybrids since they came on the market, but is more proud of the fact that his commute to the office is 13 stairs. Newhouse is a frontrunner in West Michigan’s green movement in the areas of office furniture, LED lighting, kitchen cabinetry and appliances.
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 Joseph Jeup is a craftsman-turned-designer of heirloom-quality modern residential furnishings. About 90 percent of Joseph Jeup Inc.’s made-to-order pieces are purchased for executive homes (think the wealthiest 1 percent). The rest are for lobbies and VIP suites at upscale hotels such as the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons. Many of Jeup’s past designs have been for private labels. This year, he’s expanding his own line as a way to stabilize workflow at his manufacturing facility near the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
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 After a tumultuous decade, manufacturers are again helping drive Michigan’s economy, rather than dragging it into the abyss as the sector did during the recession.
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 WEST MICHIGAN — Manufacturing executives like Jim Zawacki at Grand Rapids Spring & Stamping Inc. both relish and loathe the thought of an onslaught of business coming back to the United States from foreign countries.
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 Despite the deep impact of the recession on the office furniture industry, newcomer izzy+ stayed true to its principles around sustainability and design-fueled innovation. Founder Chuck Saylor discusses how the company managed through the turmoil after wrapping up a sizable acquisition and how the industry remains committed to driving sustainability in products, suppliers and raw materials.
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 CALEDONIA — The medical device industry could be one of West Michigan’s most under-appreciated sectors, at least if you ask Tom Howing, the new product development manager at MarketLab Inc.
“Once you lift the cover, you will be surprised what’s there,” said Howing, a member of the West Michigan Medical Device Consortium.
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 WALKER — While still considered an exotic material in the automotive industry, carbon fiber could become more commonplace as its cost comes down — and as automakers try to shave weight from their vehicles to meet stricter fuel standards.
That so-called exotic material — seen on some sports cars and vehicles in the premium segment — will soon be made in West Michigan.
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 WEST MICHIGAN — The good news is that the West Michigan manufacturing sector is definitely rebounding. Demand is up. The new challenge, as we have discussed in the first two stories in this series, is that the supply of skilled workers, especially engineers, is down.
The problem is not limited to small- and mid-sized manufacturers. Herman Miller Inc., Gentex Corp. and Alcoa Howmet-Whitehall Operations are facing a similar challenge.
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