Whitmer Announces Two Business Expansions Bringing Good paying Jobs and New Investments to Holland

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

May 31, 2022

Contact: Press@michigan.gov                                                         

Gov. Whitmer Announces Two Business Expansions Bringing 138 Good-paying Jobs and New Investments to the city of Holland

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce two business expansion projects expected to create 138 new jobs and generate a total private investment of $87.7 million have received support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

“Today’s investments by Coastal Container and Hudsonville Creamery will create a combined 138 good-paying jobs for Michiganders in and around Holland as we continue growing Michigan’s economy and investing in every region of the state,” said Governor Whitmer. “With 4.3% unemployment, strong small business growth, and rising wages, our economy is on the move, and I will stay focused on the fundamentals that matter most to working families and communities while ensuring Michigan leads the way in key industries like manufacturing and agribusiness. I will keep fighting to bring more jobs and investment to Michigan and work with anyone to grow our economy.”

Coastal Container Corporation, founded in 2007 in the city of Holland, is a locally-owned, full-service provider of packaging supplies serving multiple industries including agricultural, automotive, eCommerce, and food and beverage. The company currently has 94 employees at its Holland location.

The company is experiencing increasing demand as consumer spending has shifted toward eCommerce purchases, leading to a greater need for corrugated materials. The company plans to expand at its existing facility in the city of Holland, where it will add 65,000 square feet of manufacturing space and new equipment, including an on-site corrugator.

“Our family has been in the corrugated business for 60 years now,” said Coastal Container CEO Brent Patterson. “In these past couple of years, Coastal Container has seen tremendous growth, which allows us to make this expansion to better serve our customers and community.”

The company will also install a rail spur for delivery of raw material, which will now be delivered in the form of paper rolls instead of corrugated sheets. A single delivery of seven rail cars will replace approximately 48 truckloads of sheets. Coastal estimates this will eliminate the consumption of more than 150,000 gallons of diesel fuel and more than 1 million miles of truck traffic from roads per year.

“Our environmental footprint and sustainability are key elements to our business,” said Patterson.

The project is expected to result in a total capital investment of at least $22 million and create at least 62 jobs in the next three years, supported by a $264,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over a competing site in Indiana.

The project will bring immediate, good manufacturing jobs to the area. Coastal is an integral part of the Holland community and believes in giving back, supporting local nonprofits and partnering with D.A. Blodgett St. Johns to support the community’s next generation.

The city of Holland plans to support the project with a 50-percent property tax abatement. For information on careers with Coastal Container, visit https://coastal-container.com/company/careers/. 

Hudsonville Creamery and Ice Cream Company, founded in 1895 in Hudsonville as a cooperative of local farmers, manufactures ice cream for several regional and national brands as well as under its own Hudsonville brand. The company is now entering the novelty ice cream space where it has experienced significant growth, in addition to continued growth in its ice cream production. The company currently has 172 employees in Michigan.

Due to this increased demand, Hudsonville is planning a multi-phase expansion at its facility in the city of Holland. The expansion will include construction of additional manufacturing space, the purchase of new machinery and equipment, and renovation of existing employee facilities. It will also include the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $65.7 million and create 76 jobs, resulting in a $1 million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. 

The project will further boost Michigan’s agribusiness industry and will have a large impact in the community. The investment will also result in increased sales for Michigan milk suppliers and other vendors, in turn supporting the state’s rich agribusiness industry. In addition, the project reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the area and to the state of Michigan.

The city of Holland plans to support the project with a 50-percent property tax abatement. For information on careers with Hudsonville, visit https://www.hudsonvilleicecream.com/careers/. 

“Hudsonville Ice Cream commitment to West Michigan is a great example of the continued strength of West Michigan’s agribusiness industry, and to see Coastal Container continue to thrive is exciting,” said Jennifer Owens, Lakeshore Advantage President. “We applaud both companies on their continued success.”

“The decisions by Coastal Container and Hudsonville Ice Cream to expand in Michigan highlight the enduring strength of Michigan’s value proposition: talented workforce, diverse industries and the shared commitment to ensuring that a business environment exists that creates long-term economic growth in our state,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of MEDC and President and Chair of the MSF Board. “These projects are representative of our holistic, people-first approach to economic development that rewards risk-takers while further securing Michigan’s leadership in the industries that will propel our economy into the future.”

###