GRAND HAVEN — By investing in three new injection molding machines in 2018, Anderson Technologies Inc. is betting that Industry 4.0 technologies will counter the effects of a shrinking workforce locally and nationally. 

With 2018 shaping up as slower than expected for the automotive supply chain, West Michigan-based tool and die makers are embracing diversification to counter the cyclical industry.

GRAND RAPIDS — For its first acquisition, Northville-based Orchard Creek Capital LLC targeted an investment in an established, family-owned manufacturing company.

While many companies adopt automation to improve factory efficiency and equipment uptime, some West Michigan-based experts warn that improperly implemented technology can cost businesses in the long run.

WALKER — The federal government’s move to protect potential breaches in its supply chain is having an adverse effect for defense manufacturers in West Michigan and beyond.

CALEDONIA — As consumers’ interests shift to a more locally-focused food supply chain, companies like Revolution Farms LLC hope to change how that food is grown. 

GRAND RAPIDS — Proos Manufacturing Inc. has come under new ownership.

NEWAYGO — A West Michigan Tier I automotive supplier is investing $45 million into a 175,000-square-foot facility expansion designed to improve workflow and efficiency. 

Manufacturers are pulling out all the stops in an attempt to build a pipeline of talent for the future. 

COOPERSVILLE — Manufacturers used to years-long product cycles have been hesitant to embrace the frenetic pace of change that comes with the adoption of cutting-edge technologies on their factory floors. 

A West Michigan car dealership group plans to acquire a pair of stores located a mile apart on Plainfield Avenue north of Grand Rapids.

A Grand Rapids-based automotive supplier has acquired Emergent Carbon Wheels, a Kansas City, Kan.-based manufacturer of carbon fiber composite wheels.

Automotive supplier Yanfeng Automotive Interiors has permanently laid off 55 West Michigan employees as it plans to relocate its North American headquarters to Novi.

National director of product recall for food and agribusiness, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

The “secret sauce” that separates Auxo Investment Partners from other private equity firms comes down to hard work. 

Faced with an industry sea change and the loss of a major customer, Benton Harbor-based Midwest Timer Services Inc. needed to take action to remain a growing business.

Acquiring Sparta-based Old Orchard Brands LLC in April allowed a Canadian beverage company to add a modern plant in Michigan to better access the Midwestern market.

As more high school students eschew enrolling in college, West Michigan technical centers and higher education institutions are searching for ways to push them to different career pathways.

A Chicago-based investment firm has purchased a more than 90,000-square-foot industrial property in Ottawa County.

As supply chains adjust to new realities in international trade, West Michigan manufacturers are entering the final months of 2018 with “caution.”

Private equity firm Auxo Investment Partners has completed its fifth acquisition in 13 months with a deal for a Warren-based stamping manufacturer.

A Milwaukee-based private equity firm has acquired Structural Concepts Corp., a manufacturer of refrigerated display cases in Muskegon County.

A Silicon Valley startup is relocating its operations to Kent County.

Despite construction being “slightly behind” schedule, Zeeland Farm Services Inc. expects full operation of its new Ithaca soybean processing facility to come online in September 2019, according to President Cliff Meeuwsen.

Cascade Engineering Inc. has tapped Christina Keller, daughter of founder and chair Fred Keller, to lead the family-owned plastic-injection molding manufacturer. 

Amid exponential growth, LED manufacturer Smart Vision Lights LLC plans to invest more than $3 million into a new site in Norton Shores.

As the U.S. wades deeper into a trade war with countries including China, West Michigan-based office furniture manufacturers have been forced to raise prices and re-evaluate their supply chains to mitigate risks.

West Michigan’s growing food processing industry continues to develop, spurred on by the region’s strong agricultural supply chain, access to water and sufficient infrastructure capacity.

Direct-selling giant Amway Corp. plans to close two plants in West Michigan as part of a restructuring of its manufacturing operations, MiBiz has learned.

An independent baseball team from Traverse City has sold to the ownership group of the West Michigan Whitecaps, the Detroit Tigers’ Class-A affiliate.