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Extruded Aluminum Corporation spending $30.4M to expand

An aluminum extrusion product manufacturer is investing $30.4 million to expand in Belding in a move expected to add 38 jobs.

Extruded Aluminum Corporation (EAC) will be expanding at its current location at 7200 Industrial Drive in Belding, said The Right Place, in collaboration with the Ionia County Economic Alliance (ICEA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) on Tuesday, Nov. 16.

Site work has started, and EAC expects to have the building construction completed over the summer. Press equipment is expected to be installed in the fall, with manufacturing starting by the end of 2022.

Established in Ionia County’s Otisco Township (adjacent to Belding) in 1987, EAC was made possible by 11 families seeking to invest in the community. Today, those 11 families remain investors in EAC, which has grown exponentially since, with this expansion being the ninth in the company’s history.

The company currently employs approximately 160 team members between EAC and its sister company, Aluminum Fabrication Corporation. EAC serves a variety of growing industries that have thrived during the pandemic, most notably solar energy, material handling, truck and trailer, and defense.

To meet growing client demand, the company purchased a 14-acre lot adjacent to its current facility to accommodate the expansion. The additional 176,000 square feet of space will allow EAC to house additional production, handling and processing equipment. The expanded operations will have EAC recruiting and hiring for 38 jobs ranging from inspection and packaging to material handling, maintenance and supervision.

“As the market for extruded aluminum products continues to grow, we have to increase our production capacity to meet our clients’ needs,” said EAC President Charles Hall. “Our company has a long history in the Belding community and continuing to grow our presence here is something we’re excited to be able to do. We’re thankful to the team at The Right Place and their partners at the MEDC for providing us with support throughout the expansion process.”

The Right Place and ICEA worked with EAC and the MEDC to ensure the company continued its growth in the region rather than out-of-state locations. With the approval of a $250,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant, the MEDC is supporting the expansion through the Michigan Strategic Fund.

West Michigan Works! and Montcalm Community College will support the project with a workforce training package.

“Extruded Aluminum Corporation has been a long-standing facet of the local business community and contributes substantially to the area’s economic health,” said Travis Alden, senior director of community development for The Right Place and project lead. “West Michigan offers an ideal environment for businesses to thrive, and EAC’s choice to continue growing here after more than three decades of operating in the region further proves that notion.”

Posted By: Grand Rapids Business Journal on November 18, 2021.  For more information, please click here to read the source article.

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