MiBiz

Amway sues unauthorized eBay seller for trademark infringement
ADA — Amway Corp. and parent company Alticor Inc. recently filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against an eBay Inc. seller based in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Entrepreneurs acquire Iroquois Hoods
MUSKEGON — Iroquois Hoods Inc., a Muskegon maker of laboratory furniture with a focus on custom fume hoods, was acquired by entrepreneurs Rick Claypool and…
JPG Resources receives grant for renovation of downtown Battle Creek offices
BATTLE CREEK — JPG Resources, a Battle Creek-based food and beverage consulting group, has been awarded a $208,618 grant from Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) through…
Roofing company relocates to southeast Grand Rapids neighborhood
GRAND RAPIDS — NaturaShield LLC, a Grand Rapids-based energy efficient roofing company, has relocated to the Cottage Grove neighborhood on the city’s southeast side.
Mercantile Bank cites ‘solid’ loan growth through third quarter
GRAND RAPIDS — Mercantile Bank Corp. maintained solid growth and earnings through the third quarter.

Gun Lake Casino plans $100 million expansion

WAYLAND — A 72,000-square-foot expansion at Gun Lake Casino will allow the operation to grow its gaming, restaurant and entertainment options.

Amway sues unauthorized eBay seller for trademark infringement
ADA — Amway Corp. and parent company Alticor Inc. recently filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against an eBay Inc. seller based in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Entrepreneurs acquire Iroquois Hoods
MUSKEGON — Iroquois Hoods Inc., a Muskegon maker of laboratory furniture with a focus on custom fume hoods, was acquired by entrepreneurs Rick Claypool and…
JPG Resources receives grant for renovation of downtown Battle Creek offices
BATTLE CREEK — JPG Resources, a Battle Creek-based food and beverage consulting group, has been awarded a $208,618 grant from Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) through…
Roofing company relocates to southeast Grand Rapids neighborhood
GRAND RAPIDS — NaturaShield LLC, a Grand Rapids-based energy efficient roofing company, has relocated to the Cottage Grove neighborhood on the city’s southeast side.
Mercantile Bank cites ‘solid’ loan growth through third quarter
GRAND RAPIDS — Mercantile Bank Corp. maintained solid growth and earnings through the third quarter.

Startups move indoors in race to find future farming solutions
Traditional, outdoor agriculture is profoundly dependent on climate, but high-tech indoor farms that grow premium, hyper-local produce for consumers year round may be commercially viable in the future.
2019 MiBiz Deals of the Year: Highlighting Best Practices
MiBiz presents the 7th Annual M&A Deals & Dealmakers Awards, our yearly spotlight of best practices and excellence related to mergers, acquisitions, capital formation and other types of dealmaking throughout…

Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus expanding in Ada
ADA — Retailer Bill & Paul’s Sporthaus is expanding in Ada with Beyond by Bill & Paul’s, an outdoor lifestyle, clothing, footwear and accessories store.
Indiana firms offer competing proposals for new psych hospitals near Kalamazoo
KALAMAZOO — An influx of patients referred to Indiana to access inpatient mental health care led a South Bend operator of adult psychiatric hospitals to propose a new facility in Kalamazoo…

M&A Awards: Orion Real Estate Solutions fills landmark downtown Grand Rapids development
On the heels of a range of downtown developments coming online in recent years, Orion Real Estate Solutions saw further demand for Class A office space in Grand Rapids.

M&A Awards: Ranir deal positions Perrigo to seize self-care opportunity
Perrigo Co. plc’s $750 million acquisition of Ranir Global Holdings LLC brought together two companies that essentially were following the same path when their CEOs decided to talk business toward…

Keystone Solutions eyes continued growth with Charter Growth Capital investment
KALAMAZOO — A Grand Rapids mezzanine fund’s investment will enable Keystone Solutions Group to maintain its strong growth trajectory in the years ahead.

GFS plans Indiana expansion with new distribution center
WYOMING — Gordon Food Service Inc. hopes to expand into Indiana with a proposed new distribution center.

M&A Awards: Values play primary role in Structural Concepts’ retirement-initiated sale
An emphasis on shared family values and the promise of continued investment and growth made last year’s sale of privately-owned Structural Concepts Corp. to private equity firm Mason Wells a…

Utility agreement marks shift for future solar energy projects
A settlement agreement approved in September between Consumers Energy and multiple solar energy developers triggers a large-scale buildout across the Lower Peninsula, but also marks a shift in the way the…

M&A Awards: Muskegon Area First transitions to private-sector model
With former CEO Jim Edmonson back at the helm and a new board of directors, Muskegon Area First has positioned itself for fiscal and programmatic growth to support Muskegon County’s…

Michigan’s philanthropic sector examines its role in diversity, equity, inclusion
Diversity, equity and inclusion have been foremost in the minds of people who work in Michigan’s nonprofit and philanthropic sectors.

HIGHER ED: Michigan colleges prepare students for influx of cannabis careers
As students head off to college this fall, some of them in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula will be blazing a trail when it comes to new fields of study: growing and…

M&A Awards: With $40 million raise, Vestaron positions to commercialize new eco-friendly insecticides
Since securing a $40 million capital investment last spring, Vestaron Corp. has been assembling commercial and operating teams as it prepares for the broad launch of a brand of eco-friendly…

Gun Lake Casino plans $100 million expansion