A high-tech manufacturing firm with a major facility in Stevensville will expand its footprint again with acquisition of another new facility near its home base in Holland Charter Township, investing $5.6-million and creating 250 new jobs. JR Automation Technologies, which renamed the former Dane Systems group on Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville last year, garnered a $2.2-million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant to advance the project slated for a facility near current operations outside of Holland.
Bryan Jones is Chief Executive Officer at JR Automation. He tells The Holland Sentinel, "West Michigan and the talented people who choose to work at JR are huge contributors to our continued success and expansion." That expansion has been exponential in nature since 2009, growing by 475-percent in the past 7 years, and most of the 250 new jobs for West Michigan are engineering jobs, much like those at the Stevensville facility.
Holland Township authorities have identified a 100,000 square foot building where the new facility will be opened within the next year, however they have not disclosed the specific site inasmuch as the real estate transaction has not yet been completed. The township is assisting the project through a proposed property tax abatement plan for 12 years.
Steve Arwood is CEO at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation which will provide the $2.2-million grant. He says, "JR Automation's decision to expand in Michigan rather than another state means good-paying jobs for Michigan residents and reflects the depth of our state's manufacturing talent." He notes that JR is "an important employer in the Holland area, and this investment will make the region even stronger for years to come."
JR Automation designs and manufactures world-class custom automated equipment and provides services to customers in a broad array of industries from automotive manufacturers to aerospace, the medical device community, pharmaceuticals, food processing and even the construction trades. The company was founded in 1980 in Holland, and became affiliated with the former Dane Systems of Stevensville in the mid-90s. Dane just changed its name to JR Automation early this year when both companies, which had been acquired by Huizenga Automation Group were sold to Crestview Partners.
Locally, JR Automation has nearly 70 top flight engineers housed at their Red Arrow Highway facility between Stevensville and Bridgman.
West Michigan Works! will also assist in the new project, kicking in up to $170,000 in workforce support and grants to JR Automation in the bid to find a skilled and qualified workforce for the company. Interested individuals seeking high-tech employment can find career opportunities by clicking the link below:
- Sales Engineer
- Controls Engineer
- Controls Technician
- Cost & Concept Developer
- Experienced Machine Builder
- Mechanical Engineer
