Local High-Tech Company on the Move

[GRDadof3]

X-Rite Plans Corporate Headquarters Move to Accommodate Future Growth

http://www.xrite.com/company_press_room.as...e=item&News=354

I know this is kinda old news, but who cares! X-Rite also just announced some key acquisitions in their industry, which is Spectrophotometers and Colorimeters for Graphic Designers, Quality Managers, and Dentists (yes Dentists!)

http://financial.washingtonpost.com/wpost/...ispnav=business

Don't be surprised if the old facility is demolished before the moving trucks are out of there for more retail giants on Rivertown Parkway

This is an excellent re-use for the massive Bosch Plant on 44th.

[superNOVA]

This is an excellent re-use for the massive Bosch Plant on 44th.

Yes, for two years I wondered who would ever fill it. X-Rite may at some point, but even taking some of it will help. Even if it means my wait at Wendy's gets a bit longer...

[GRDadof3]

Wow! Huge news for X-Rite and this area:

X-Rite may buy rival

and then today:

"We will grow here", X-Rite promises

Buying out their rival, MacBeth, is a pretty bold move. And this is the kind of high-tech manufacturing that's good to have in the area.

[Rizzo]

I would have loved to be a Amazys stock holder sometime ago!

[snoogit]

I kinda wish X-rite would move DT

[MJLO]

do you speculate that in time, if they get big enough, they might build downtown?

[GRDadof3]

That's a tough one. I would think most of their engineers and R&D people want to be VERY close to the manufacturing floor, so to move downtown would have to include some manufacturing space. Maybe in an old warehouse/factory environment

[Prankster]

The only people that they could afford to have offsite would be the backroom functions, i.e. - accounting, marketing, sales etc. There are a few manufacturers that do this, but it is becoming more rare. Why lease 2 buildings when having them all on 1 site would be cheaper?

[krylonics]

Multiple story buildings like those downtown wouldn't fit in with today's lean manufacturing principles. They tend to want single story buildings so raw materials go in one end and products out the other.

[Rizzo]

Yup - imagine hauling in pressing and welding equpipment in a 20 story building with a floor loading compacity of x amount lbs per sqaure foot that wouldn't hold me plus a chair... I think superNOVA explains this pretty well why GR dosen't have many skyscrapers especially amoung the manufacturing sector.

[snoogit]

That makes sense for manufacturers, but retailers on the other hand should be much more likely to move DT, and possibly open up a store on the first floor or two

[GRDadof3]

It's finally a done deal

It's good to see local companies buying competitors instead of getting bought by competitors.

[6th Gen local]

It's finally a done deal

It's good to see local companies buying competitors instead of getting bought by competitors.

Also, the former Bosch/Diesel Technology/ Steelcase building gets filled. Now what happens to the X-Rite property in Grandville on 44th st?

[GRDadof3]

Also, the former Bosch/Diesel Technology/ Steelcase building gets filled. Now what happens to the X-Rite property in Grandville on 44th st?

I've heard they've had more suitors than they know what to do with, but Grandville is being very particular with what they'll allow there. A planned Walmart was shot down I believe.

The same Chicago development company that bought and redeveloped the Bosch plant has now also purchased the recently closed Siemens plant on Eastern Ave and plans to redevelop the site:

Chicago developer buying Siemens sites

[Allison Slater]

That actually would be a great spot for a walmart even, but I am glad that was shot down. All we need in this city is Meijer and such. Do they plan to keep it industrial or is there interest in allowing a commercial service there?

[Kayak1]

That actually would be a great spot for a walmart even, but I am glad that was shot down. All we need in this city is Meijer and such. Do they plan to keep it industrial or is there interest in allowing a commercial service there?

Fron what I have heard it is going to be commercial, even retail, just not Wal-Mart or Sams Club.

[6th Gen local]

That actually would be a great spot for a walmart even, but I am glad that was shot down. All we need in this city is Meijer and such. Do they plan to keep it industrial or is there interest in allowing a commercial service there?

Great spot for a Walmart with another Walmart 3-4 miles down the road just South of 44th at Kenowa? I don't think so.

[suydam]

That actually would be a great spot for a walmart even, but I am glad that was shot down. All we need in this city is Meijer and such. Do they plan to keep it industrial or is there interest in allowing a commercial service there?

IMO there is no such thing as a great spot for a Wal-Mart.

[Nitro]

IMO there is no such thing as a great spot for a Wal-Mart.

You got it Suydam!!

[6th Gen local]

IMO there is no such thing as a great spot for a Wal-Mart.

Not to get too far off topic, but why do you feel that way? I have heard the most common objections to Walmart and how they supposedly kill off business districts. I am curious what business districts died in Cascade, Grandville and Alpine Twp. when Walmart opened?

What I see in Walmart is another choice for shoppers, low priced crap and jobs. Those stores opening up in the Chicago area are being welcomed by the locals there.

After saying all that, I choose to shop at Meijer to keep my dollars local.

[Nitro]

Not to get too far off topic, but why do you feel that way?

I'm not going to open this can of worms again.....sufice it to say that some people myself included think Wal-Mart should be bombed off of the face of the planet. You can do a search in this forum for Wal-Mart. Plenty of discussion has come up on the topic already.

[GRGyp]

Not to get too far off topic, but why do you feel that way? I have heard the most common objections to Walmart and how they supposedly kill off business districts. I am curious what business districts died in Cascade, Grandville and Alpine Twp. when Walmart opened?

What I see in Walmart is another choice for shoppers, low priced crap and jobs. Those stores opening up in the Chicago area are being welcomed by the locals there.

After saying all that, I choose to shop at Meijer to keep my dollars local.

1) Walmart decides to build a new building.

2) Walmart asks for quotes.

3) Local contractor bids for job. Does it correctly and adds escalators in bid to account for rising material prices that will occur over the course of the project.

4) Walmart awards bid to local contractor.

5) Price increases occur, and per the written bid the contractor exercises the escalators in the contract.

6) Wal-Mart refuses to honor the escalators

7) Contractor has to go to court to force Walmart to honor agreement

8) Walmart, having a lot of money to pay lawyers, draws out the legal procedings and holds up payments to the contractor in the meantime.

9) Contractor wins case, but suffers financially. If the contractor is small, they usually end up bankrupt.

I don't like Walmart...

[6th Gen local]

1) Walmart decides to build a new building.

2) Walmart asks for quotes.

3) Local contractor bids for job. Does it correctly and adds escalators in bid to account for rising material prices that will occur over the course of the project.

4) Walmart awards bid to local contractor.

5) Price increases occur, and per the written bid the contractor exercises the escalators in the contract.

6) Wal-Mart refuses to honor the escalators

7) Contractor has to go to court to force Walmart to honor agreement

8) Walmart, having a lot of money to pay lawyers, draws out the legal procedings and holds up payments to the contractor in the meantime.

9) Contractor wins case, but suffers financially. If the contractor is small, they usually end up bankrupt.

I don't like Walmart...

That seems reasonable, but other business's and even local governments do the same thing.

[GRGyp]

That seems reasonable, but other business's and even local governments do the same thing.

They don't, however, do it to the degree that Walmart does it. There is a fine line between leveraging your financial clout and being a bully. Walmart generally is several steps over that line with it's business practices.

There is a saying: "Pigs get fat. Hogs get slaughtered." Walmart is definitely a hog. It's yet to be seen if they get slaughtered or not.

[suydam]

Not to get too far off topic, but why do you feel that way? I have heard the most common objections to Walmart and how they supposedly kill off business districts. I am curious what business districts died in Cascade, Grandville and Alpine Twp. when Walmart opened?

What I see in Walmart is another choice for shoppers, low priced crap and jobs. Those stores opening up in the Chicago area are being welcomed by the locals there.

After saying all that, I choose to shop at Meijer to keep my dollars local.

For me it's a number of issues.

First, as an opponent of sprawl, I see Wal-Mart as the antithesis of my views.

Second, I like to keep my dollars as local as possible. Wal-Mart is the antithesis of this as well. Sure, it's not always possible, but you can certainly do better than Wal-Mart.

Third, I just plain don't like shopping there. That's a personal opinion thing.

Fouth, I think Wal-Mart, Meijer, K-Mart and every other Big Box (Lowe's, Home Despot, Circuit City, etc) kill off local businesses, replace highly paid small business owners with poorly-paid big-box shift managers.