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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Blackmer Expands Grand Rapids, Michigan, Manufacturing Campus

09/08/2021
Blackmer, part of PSG, a Dover company, will expand its manufacturing complex in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The $7 million project is expected to create 50 new jobs.

According to The Right Place to accommodate continued growth and its recent acquisitions, Blackmer plans to demolish an obsolete and dormant foundry at its existing location and construct a new 60,000 square foot manufacturing facility at 1809 Century Ave. SW.

“Our team is incredibly excited to continue growing and evolving our operations in the West Michigan region,” said Blackmer General Manager, Bob Lauson. “We’ve called the Grand Rapids community home for nearly a century, and it continues to be an ideal location for us to expand our footprint. We’re thankful to the team at The Right Place and their partners at the MEDC for the support they have provided to get this project over the finish line. In addition, the City of Grand Rapids has been a pleasure to deal with and has been very supportive of the project.”

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is supporting the expansion with the approval of a $350,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant.

"These projects reflect our commitment to taking a holistic, people-first approach to economic development while securing Michigan's leadership in the industries that will drive our economy into the future," said?Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of MEDC and President and Chair of the MSF Board. ""We're proud to join The Right Place and our local partners as we send the message that we are working to build a championship economy here in West Michigan."

Operating in Grand Rapids since 1925, Blackmer is the leading global provider of innovative, high-quality sliding vane, centrifugal, screw and regenerative turbine pump, and reciprocating gas compressor technologies for the safe transfer of liquids and gases. The company, which currently employs 250 full-time people at its Grand Rapids location, designs, manufactures, and distributes its products to a variety of industries including chemical, energy, transportation, military, marine and oil and gas.

"Greater Grand Rapids has served as a community where companies like Gen3 and Blackmer are able to embrace growth opportunities that bolster continued success and prosperity," said Senior Business Development Manager for The Right Place, Inc., Jennifer Wangler, "We are thrilled that these two companies are continuing to grow here in the Grand Rapids community and look forward to the increased economic opportunity these projects will bring to our residents."

The Right Place said it worked closely with Blackmer, the City of Grand Rapids and the MEDC to ensure the company continued its growth in the region rather than out-of-state locations.

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