By Julia Bauer
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS — G.A. Richards Co., founded here in 1900 to supply the furniture industry, is building its second plant this fall at 1060 Ken-O-Sha Industrial Drive SE.
The $3.5 million project will be completed by November.
By 2017, the company could add up to 30 employees to the 90 at the original plant.Â
Expansion is driven by growth in the office-furniture industry Richards supplies.
Richards also is buying new metal fabricating equipment to put into its existing plant as part of the expansion.
Tax-free bonds were approved this week for the project, by the Michigan Strategic Fund.
Of the $3.5 million package, $540,000 will pay off similar bonds granted in 1997.
When complete, the new building and site will be held by G.A. Richards Plant 1.5 LLC, while the original company will own all of the machinery and manufacturing processes.
The new plant will provide more than 37,000 square feet of manufacturing space, plus 2,000 for offices, company attorney Jessica Wood said.
“We’re looking at expanding by five to 10 employees a year,” through 2017, Wood said.
Wages average $11.50 an hour.
Send e-mail to the author: jbauer@grpress.com
