95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Two area businesses are expanding in West Michigan

Cascade Die Casting Group
Cascade Die Casting Group
/
Clark Communications
Cascade Die Casting Group

Sparta's Cascade Die Casting Group and Muskegon's Beacon Recycling together adding 66 new jobs.

Cascade Die Casting Group is expanding in Sparta. A leading manufacturer of aluminum and zinc die cast components, its forecast for growth in the automotive sector, including electric vehicle production, required meeting demand.

Its Sparta expansion is a $6 million investment. The company employs 259 workers in Sparta and Grand Rapids. It also operates in High Point, North Carolina. Consideration was made to expand there.

Nonprofit regional economic development corporation, The Right Place, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation worked with Cascade providing incentives including a $180,000 performance-based grant.

Advanced robotics and automation equipment will enhance manufacturing capabilities. The expansion will require the hiring of 30 new employees.

In Muskegon, Beacon Recycling is adding 36 jobs over the next three years. Beacon provides sustainable scrap management for industrial clients. It’s investing $17.5 million in equipment for meeting green initiatives. It’s receiving a $500,000 Micro Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The Michigan Strategic Fund has approved a State Education Tax abatement, and the city of Muskegon has offered a 50 percent property tax abatement.

Patrick joined WGVU Public Media in December, 2008 after eight years of investigative reporting at Grand Rapids' WOOD-TV8 and three years at WYTV News Channel 33 in Youngstown, Ohio. As News and Public Affairs Director, Patrick manages our daily radio news operation and public interest television programming. An award-winning reporter, Patrick has won multiple Michigan Associated Press Best Reporter/Anchor awards and is a three-time Academy of Television Arts & Sciences EMMY Award winner with 14 nominations.