By Ryan Jeltema – Daily News staff writer

GREENVILLE — Amid thousands of recent job losses, businesses around Greenville continue to grow and add jobs.

At least five local companies either have opened anew or expanded operations in the city over the past few months, amounting to nearly 100 new jobs.
Most of the growth has occurred in existing plants not located in the city’s new industrial park, which soon will be designated a tax-free renaissance zone by the state.

“All our efforts are beginning to pay off,” said Mayor Lloyd Walker. “This is a tribute to our community.”

Greenville companies adding production space and jobs since 2004 include the following.

Amerida Premium Hardwoods

Owner Tom Godfrey opened the plant at 608 Callaghan St. about two years ago with five employees manufacturing wood components for the home furniture industry.

Amerida recently completed a 24,000-square-foot expansion and increased its workforce to 24 employees. Godfrey said he is still looking to hire one or two more workers with at least five years experience in woodworking.

“We’ve found the city very friendly to business,” Godfrey said. “Greenville is a great place to do business.”

He said the company has found some niches in the furniture industry supplying small wood parts made from imported woods. By buying raw materials direct from Canadian sawmills, Amerida is able to keep customers’ costs down.

“We can do smaller runs and be flexible,” Godfrey said.

The company may not be finished growing. He said salesmen are working on obtaining new contracts that may bring more jobs.

“There are several new jobs that, if we got them, it would require us to grow more,” Godfrey said.

Grand Rapids Controls

Headquartered in Rockford, Grand Rapids Controls (GRC) opened a new manufacturing operation in September in half the 30,000-square-foot Miro building at 715 Callaghan St.

The company currently employs 25 workers making motion control assemblies for the automotive and office furniture industries. More work being moved to Greenville is expected to bring another 20 jobs, boosting Grand Rapids Controls’ local workforce to 45.

“Greenville is attractive to GRC because many of our employees come from cities north of Rockford,” said Chief Executive Officer Jim Bradbury. “Greenville also has a good infrastructure and a large employee resource available.

“GRC is very pleased with our experience in Greenville,” he said. “If we are in the position to grow in the future, Greenville will be a consideration.”

Great Lakes Commercial Buildings

The company recently moved into the former Menasha Packaging building at 1216 Shearer Road.

Owner Chad Covell, who worked in the manufactured building industry, opened the business in January with about 20 employees building commercial modular structures such as portable classrooms and offices.

“We felt this was a good area,” he said. “The community is large enough that we have the support of suppliers locally.”

Great Lakes’ wood and steel structures range in size from 300 to 20,000 square feet. They are sold through dealers throughout the Midwest. Covell said sales have been strong and he sees no limit to the company’s growth potential.

“Growth will be driven by how successful we are at increasing revenue,” Covell said. “We will add employees as needed.”

Greenville Tool & Die

The 60-year-old Greenville company recently added two new die presses and created four to six new jobs.

Plant Manager Dale Hartway said Greenville Tool & Die is operating at capacity now, but work levels fluctuate rapidly in the industry.

“We could build a die in six months, then never see it again,” he said.

The trust of former company owners Stanley and Blanche Ash recently sold the business to its employees through a stock ownership arrangement.

“We have become more competitive in the tool and die industry since we are employee owned,” Hartway said. “The efficiencies have allowed us to get costs down.”

DLT Industries

The company currently is constructing a new 12,000-square-foot factory on Callaghan Street near Kent Foundry.

Owner Dave Tamblin said DLT, which manufactures die cutting, packaging and other assemblies for the office furniture and automotive industries, opened about six years ago in a 6,000-square-foot building at 425 Fairplains St.

Tamblin said moving to the new facility will allow the company to increase efficiency and provide room for future growth. With just three employees now, he said DLT is poised to add customers and possibly more workers.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Tamblin said. “We have steady work and good potential projects in the cooker. We’re either going to grow or shrink. We’re not going to stay the same.”

Construction crews poured footings for the new buildings late last year. Tamblin hopes to begin operations there during the summer.

The future?

Walker said more new jobs may be headed to Greenville soon — and in larger numbers.

The city has about three or four “promising” prospects on the horizon. Some newcomers could be announced soon.

“I’m encouraged,” Walker said. “I think we’re going to have good news about jobs in the industrial park. The future looks bright.”

On Jan. 16, 2004, Electrolux announced that it planned to close the world’s largest refrigerator factory in Greenville, idling more than 2,700 workers. That shutdown is scheduled for Friday.

Electrolux Vice President of Corporate Communications Tony Evans said from his office in Augusta, Ga., that future employers in the city will find an excellent workforce.

“There’s an outstanding workforce there,” he said. “Electrolux people have performed very well with the plant closing.”

Walker eventually expects the city to replace all 3,000 jobs lost from Electrolux; Tower Automotive, which announced Monday that it will close its Greenville plant this year, idling about 225 employees; and Greenville Wire Products, which closed in January 2012, leaving 160 workers jobless.

Numerous state and local agencies are collaborating to market the city to prospective employers.

“We have met all the challenges put before us,” Walker said. City Manager “George (Bosanic) has worked day and night to recruit new businesses. This area has an indomitable spirit.”