Gentex launches construction of $160 million investment

ike a teen on a growth spurt, Gentex Corp. seems a little bit bigger every time you look at it.i The Zeeland manufacturer broke ground Wednesday on a 125,000-square-foot expansion that will link two existing facilities at Riley and State streets. It also this week is seeking rezoning of additional parcels for possible future growth in Zeeland Township. The company is well-known for manufacturing autodimming rearview mirrors and the newest advance, camera-assisted rear view mirrors, but also makes other car parts in addition to aircraft components and fire protection systems. Even Gentex officials Wednesday morning had to step back, take another look and wonder at growth that, for now, shows no signs of slowing down. That will make this the biggest building of ours in the area, said Gentex founder Fred Bauer, who also serves as chairman of the board and chief executive officer. One thing about Gentex and Zeeland ... we worked as a

team, and it worked out really well. Repeating a statistic cited by the company earlier in the year, Vice President of Human Resources Bruce Los said Gentex has experienced roughly 19 percent compounded annual growth over the past 19 years. The scope of that growth becomes hard to grasp, Los said. It is not just the volume of production that increases. The pieces get a whole lot bigger, he said.ii At the corner of Riley and State streets, the Bridge Addition will help put a new face on Zeeland for those entering the citys north side, Los said. Zeelands two high schools are on the opposite side of the intersection. Were pretty excited with partnering with Zeeland Public Schools and creating, really, a new front door for Zeeland, Los said. The Bridge Addition is one of five expansions planned at the companys facilities in Zeeland and Holland Township, said Los said.

Among them, the corporation has plans to build a new production facility at 3523 88th Ave., Gentex Director of Corporate Facilities Scott Heerema said.iii The expansions and equipment purchases realize plans the company unveiled in August to invest $160 million into the surrounding community. The plans were made in connection with receiving tax incentives valued at more than $9 million. Since August, the company has hired more than 150 people out of the estimated 1,110 it expects to hire throughout the next five years, Los said. Such steady growth requires contingency plans for the future. Gentex has its eye on purchasing property adjacent to the 3523 88th Ave. site, asking Zeeland Township to consider rezoning the property for industrial use, Los said. Were going to need more space if we stay on the current growth trajectory, he said.

The Bridge Addition

Gentex broke ground Wednesday on one of five planned additions to company facilities in Zeeland and Holland Township. The expansions realize plans the company unveiled in August to invest $160 million.   11768 James St. Expansion to a Gentex electrical assembly manufacturing facilityiv 725 N. State St. Expansion that will combine two facilities, for inside and outside mirror assembly  3523 88th Ave. Construction of a new production facility  220 Riley St. Expansion of manufacturing support and warehouse facility  675 N. State St. Expansion of an outside mirror manufacturingv

Drop Cap Command at the beginning of the paragraph Styles (Rockwell, Bold, Italic) to make quotes easier to find iii Part of a Column in the News page Columns command, document is separated into 3 columns iv Bulleted list of Addresses v A Border is applied to the whole document
ii