WALKER — Electrical services and industrial technology firm Feyen Zylstra LLC is partnering with the federal Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Institute to create a new innovation center.
The Walker-based company announced today that it received $250,000 in funding from CESMII, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, to create a Smart Manufacturing Innovation Center, which will be housed inside of its existing headquarters.
Cahalane
The center, one among several spread across the country, is a facility where small and mid-size manufacturers can learn, experience and interact with smart manufacturing technology through such measures as experimental labs, interactive training workshops and showcases.
Feyen Zylstra’s innovation center, which is scheduled to open this fall, will be the only one in the country that is not located in a university setting.
"Our team is thrilled about the opportunity our Innovation Center will offer to small to mid-sized manufacturers located in the Midwest,” Ryan Cahalane, President of Industrial Technology at Feyen Zylstra, said in a statement.
“With many SMMs being intimidated by the cost and scope of Smart Manufacturing and supporting technologies, it is our goal to educate how practical solutions and approaches can drive real, achievable results.”
While headquartered in Grand Rapids, Feyen Zylstra also operates facilities in Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Ohio. The company employs around 600 employees and assists companies with designing, installing and maintaining smart manufacturing technologies such as automation, robotics and big data.
