Deborah Johnson Wood
It was once a struggling metal stamping plant that had laid off some 150 employees two years ago. Now it's a 40,000-square-foot, clean technology electronics facility that has hired back many of its displaced workers.
Like many other companies that lost business when the automotive industry tanked, Grand Haven-based
GHSP took a major hit. But company leaders saw it as an opportunity to transform the metal stamper into a manufacturer of mechatronics controls – controls that integrate mechanics, electronics and computer software.
Its primary customer is still the auto industry, but the company has positioned itself for a wave of change company leaders say is not only shaping the future, but is here already – lighter, safer, fuel efficient and electric vehicles.
"With the automotive vehicle moving more and more to electrification, we started looking at changing our product portfolio as well as our skill sets," says Jeff Smith, COO. "The vision is that more and more of the vehicle manufacturers will be looking at products for better fuel economy, lighter weight, better safety."
Eighty jobs opened up when GHSP closed its Troy electronics facility. The company filled the majority of those jobs by calling back workers laid off in 2008. Smith says GHSP has created an additional 20 new positions worldwide.
"Going forward, our products will have more and more mechatronic parts," he says. "Everything we're doing going forward will be part of the new products and will require skill sets in mechanical, electronics and software production."
GHSP's focus has been creating shift systems, but as it eyes growth outside the automotive market, it continues to develop two new product lines: electronic controls and smart actuators.
The company landed its first non-automotive contract to design and manufacture mechatronic controls for a maker of high-end kitchen appliances. Smith declined to name the client citing confidentiality.
GHSP employs 850 around the world, including 262 in Grand Haven. The company has operations in Detroit, Hart, and Madison Heights, Mich; Dayton, Ohio; Mexico, Japan, Germany and other countries.
Source: Jeff Smith, GHSP; Randy Boileau,
Boileau Communications Management, LLCRelated ArticlesGrand Haven's GHSP to bring 70 jobs to West MichiganDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].
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