Beacon Recycling, Inc., established in 1999, is a metal, paper, and plastic recycling company that provides a single-source solution to sustainable scrap management clients. The company services customers in a wide range of industries including automotive, aerospace, food processors, advanced manufacturing, furniture and medical devices. The company is headquartered in Muskegon and has an additional location in Traverse City, with a total of 35 employees. The company also has a related entity in Grand Rapids, Beacon Grand Rapids, where it employs an additional 25 workers.
Beacon supports foundry companies’ sustainable re-use of production waste materials and plans to expand in response to the increasing green initiatives in the industry. The expansion will include the purchase of a new shredder machine and the addition of a material services division at its Muskegon location. The expansion is expected to generate a total capital investment of $17.5 million and create 36 jobs over the next three years with the support of a $500,000 Micro Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The company chose to expand in Michigan rather than at a competing site in Northern Indiana because of its longstanding presence, skilled workforce and committed customer base within the state.
“Beacon Recycling is celebrating our 25th year of business and excited to continue our history of successful growth in West Michigan,” said Beacon Recycling COO Grant Bolhuis. “Today we announce significant investment projects in metals processing and recycling infrastructure at our Muskegon recycling hub. We look forward to continuing to grow our recycling capabilities and footprint and appreciate the support from the city of Muskegon as well as the MEDC to make these projects become a reality.”
The project will more than double the company’s size in the state and will bring 36 well-paying manufacturing jobs to a geographically disadvantaged area. The city of Muskegon has offered a 50 percent property tax abatement in support of the project, and the Michigan Strategic Fund has also approved a State Education Tax abatement to be used in conjunction with the locally approved abatement.
“GMED is proud to support the sustainable efforts of Beacon Recycling by assisting with the expansion of its operations and services,” said Greater Muskegon Economic Development President and CEO Marla Schneider. “This expansion is a testament to Muskegon’s commitment to fostering environmentally responsible practices within West Michigan. We’re dedicated to working with companies that are driving positive change and creating a more sustainable future for our community.”
Learn more about careers with Beacon Recycling here.
“The city of Muskegon is grateful for this substantial investment from Beacon Recycling, a longstanding corporate partner in our community,” said city of Muskegon Director of Development Services Jake Eckholm. “These 36 new full-time, well-paid positions and nearly $18 million of facilities and equipment investment are another example of Beacon making consistent investments in Muskegon. This project and many others in our city would not be possible without our strong partnership with the MEDC and our local EDO, Greater Muskegon Economic Development.”
“The approval of this project is excellent news for Muskegon, said state Representative Will Snyder (D-Muskegon). “It shows the state’s dedication to supporting local businesses and creating jobs that will benefit our residents and boost our local economy.”
The Micro Michigan Business Development Program is designed to promote business growth, especially in rural areas or areas with high unemployment as well as target industries. The MMBDP provides grants, loans or other economic assistance to businesses for highly competitive projects in Michigan that have fewer job creation numbers than required by the original MBDP guidelines.
Michigan is leading the battery and clean energy race, according to a new report from Climate Power. The report shows Michigan is the number three state nationwide for clean energy investments, with $21.3 billion of investments and 16,699 jobs secured since the passage of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. The report also notes that Michigan is the sixth highest state for the number of new clean energy jobs and 5th highest for new clean energy investments secured in rural communities.
In addition, Michigan is projected to add 167,000 clean energy jobs in the next 10 years, continuing the state’s leadership as the #1 clean energy job market in the Midwest that grew 4.6 percent between 2021 and 2022, according to Clean Jobs Midwest.
Governor Whitmer is committed to growing Michigan’s economy and investing in our talented workforce and launched the MI Healthy Climate Plan in 2022, a roadmap to lower costs, create jobs, and make Michigan 100 percent carbon neutral by 2050.
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