WALKER — Medical equipment manufacturer Tech Group Grand Rapids Inc. plans a $38.7 million expansion to “significantly expand production capacity” at its Walker facility.
The Walker City Commission on Monday backed the project with a 12-year industrial facilities tax exemption valued at $910,000 in total property tax savings, according to city planning documents. The project would create 90 new jobs.
The company, founded in 2001 and located in Walker since 2007, produces packaging components and delivery systems for injectable drugs and health care products. It is a division of Pennsylvania-based West Pharmaceutical Services Inc., a global contract manufacturer for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Tech Group Grand Rapids plans to add 39,000 square feet to its facility at 3116 N. Wilson Court NW, Brian Meines, site director at West Pharmaceutical Services, said during Monday’s meeting. The company currently employs 376 people at its existing 163,000-square-foot manufacturing space. The addition will include 19,000 square feet of production space and a two-story, 20,000-square-foot employee experience area, according to city planning documents.
A city planning memo said the addition would “significantly expand production capacity” at the site, while the expansion supports “continued growth” with one of the company’s key customers, Meines said.
“We’ve been in Walker since 2007 and are proud of the accomplishments we’ve been able to achieve since moving out here,” Meines told commissioners.
The city planning memo also says the company is considering additional land acquisitions near its existing facility to support future growth.
“We’re grateful you continue to grow and expand in Walker and (your employees) frequent a lot of our businesses in town when they go out for lunch when they can,” Walker Mayor Gary Carey said. “The growth is neat to see, we appreciate the investment in our community.”
