Industrial Park grows, impacting economy

Home City News Industrial Park grows, impacting economy
Industrial Park grows, impacting economy
The corner of Uran Street and Industrial Drive. Nic Rowan | Collegian

Hillsdale Industrial Park stands as a testament to the growing Hillsdale economy.

According to the Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Hillsdale Kelly LoPresto, 22 of the Industrial Park buildings are currently occupied.

“The park only has one vacant building for sale and one building with space available for lease,” LoPresto said. “All other buildings are occupied.”

Mayor Adam Stockford is more than confident in the growing Hillsdale Economy. He said he believes that people are excited about Hillsdale and the state of Michigan.  

“I’ve said over and over, I think we’re heading for bright days,” Stockford said. “We’ve got a solid foundation built on family, top-notch educational opportunities, and scenic beauty.”

On top of that, Stockford noted development in housing and infrastructure, as well as rising wages and expanding businesses throughout the city.

“These are all precursors to a tremendous uptick in the economy,” Stockford said. “We have the makings of a great community, but no one is going to know that unless we shout it to the rafters.”

Precision Gage is one company that recently joined the Industrial Park in Hillsdale. Precision Gage specializes in CNC machining and the manufacture of tooling, fixtures, and gages. They supply products to the automotive and medical industries, but are also readily adaptable to other customer needs. Precision Gage is a subsidiary of Metal Technologies. According to the President and Chief Executive Officer of Metal Technologies Matt Fetter, Precision Gage is adding 25,000 square feet of machining floor space to its existing 95,000 square feet of manufacturing space.

“This expansion enables Precision Gage to grow its precision machining operations to better serve our customers,” Fetter said. “We plan on growing the workforce and hiring at all levels, from entry level positions to experienced machinists, as we grow the business.”

Metal Technologies is a family-owned and operated company that employs over 1,200 people in four different states across the Midwest and the Rust Belt.

“The talented and qualified Hillsdale workforce, combined with state and local tax incentives encouraging local investment, made the decision to expand in Hillsdale straightforward,” Fetter said.

Dow Automotive is another company located in Hillsdale’s Industrial Park. Dow Automotive has been in Hillsdale for nearly 40 years, and like Precision Gage, they too, have seen the effects of the Hillsdale economy. Dow Automotive supplies glass bonding and structural adhesives to the automotive industry. The Hillsdale Site Manager of Dow Automotive Rob Shier, said, “We are happy that the region is doing well and we’re proud to be part of that success.”

According to Shier, the Hillsdale location of Dow Automotive is currently adding capacity to meet the demand for the adhesives they manufacture.

“We have always had a good relationship with the City of Hillsdale and happily support the community where we live and work,” Shier said.

The mayor has high hopes for the growing economy in Hillsdale, he said.

“I think the economic growth in Hillsdale is a result of a concerted effort by countless people, from local businesspeople and office holders, state legislators, the Governor, and yes, even the president,” Stockford said.