Known as Furniture City since the early 20th century, Grand Rapids is no stranger to manufacturing. But the region’s manufacturing base extends well beyond furniture – in fact, it ranks #1 for the most manufacturing jobs per capita of any large metropolitan area in the U.S. and The Economist calls it “the most successful intensive manufacturing city in America.” Here’s a brief look at the state of our manufacturing industry.

Furniture City has evolved into a diverse manufacturing mecca

As early as the 1830s, Grand Rapids was recognized as the leading producer of fine residential furniture in the world. By the mid-1900s, office furniture had begun to eclipse residential production and now accounts for the vast majority of furniture production in the region. Industry giants Steelcase, MillerKnoll and Haworth, mainstays of the West Michigan manufacturing landscape for decades, collectively generated nearly $10 billion in annual sales in 2023.

Our manufacturing base extends well beyond furniture, however. More than 2,600 advanced manufacturing establishments employ over 133,000 workers across the region, accounting for 20% of all local jobs.

What distinguishes West Michigan as an ideal region for manufacturing? Experts point to diversity and collaboration.

Manufacturing thrives in West Michigan because it is highly diversified. Unlike the branded giants of the office furniture industry, the majority of today’s West Michigan manufacturers are vital components in the supply chain for a wide range of industries, including office furniture, automotive, medical devices, food processing, and aerospace and defense. That diversity demands agility and know-how.

Veneer companies, foundries, metal stampers, plastics, wood product manufacturers and tool & die are all part of the mix.

West Michigan’s global manufacturers supply customers with everything from circuit boards and medical devices, to personal care products, to bulletproof composites for military and industrial vehicles, to smart rearview mirrors that record video and link to home automation. Grand Rapids’ thriving craft beer industry has even driven manufacturing innovation, with one small startup designing and manufacturing a tool that allows breweries and cideries to can their own beverages for carry out directly from their taproom bars.

Medbio

Medbio, a medical device manufacturer, has been headquarted in Grand Rapids since its founding in 2004.

Photo by The Right Place, Inc.

Collaboration advances manufacturing efficiency, innovation and investment

Beyond diverse capabilities, the West Michigan manufacturing sector thrives on something less expected – collaboration.

The Right Place | The Center-West Manufacturers Council – a group of nearly 40 manufacturing leaders plus presidents of area colleges and universities – collaborates to promote, facilitate and advocate for “best-in-class” manufacturing throughout the region. Competitors and colleagues, alike, meet monthly at one another’s facilities to tour, problem solve, discuss best practices and share lessons learned. In 2024, the Manufacturers Council introduced an AI For Manufacturing Opportunity Roadmap designed to guide local manufacturers through today’s complex and rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Taking their lead from the Manufacturers Council, various manufacturing industries have formed their own councils and collaboratives to innovate, take advantage of complementary skill sets, create efficiencies, and attract investment and talent. 

MiDevice, for example, is comprised of 25+ leading medical device manufacturers and suppliers in Michigan. According to The Right Place, the regional economic development organization that convened the group, “MiDevice is the only Michigan-based organization dedicated to medical device design, development, manufacturing, and distribution. The consortium works to speed the growth and development of medical devices by emphasizing and encouraging collaboration among members to meet overall product lifecycle and supply chain needs. The goal is to build collaboration around core competencies, create opportunities to leverage these competencies, and ultimately grow the medical device industry in the region into a nationally recognized medical device cluster.”

One recent example is Michigan State University establishing Grand Rapids Innovation Park in the heart of downtown as a collaborative health innovation hub for biomedical research, bioengineering and health technology. The three buildings at the site house researchers, manufacturers and care providers who can leverage idea and information sharing to bring new products to market – like the world’s most advanced medical scanners, installed here in 2021 by BAMF Health.

The Right Place also helped form the Supply Chain Management Council to create new collaborations between local supply chain professionals. The Council provides these leaders a platform to discuss issues and promote best practices.

Similarly, West Michigan’s Aerospace and Defense industry has pooled its strengths through participation in the Michigan Defense Center. The MDC formed in 2006 to target statewide defense and homeland security opportunities for Michigan businesses. The aerospace and defense industry in Grand Rapids has thrived in this collaborative environment, earning a spot as one of the most diverse aerospace and defense material supply chains in the country.

Growing strong and hiring

Growth in manufacturing throughout the region does not appear to be letting up anytime soon. The top three most prevalent industries, motor vehicle-related stamping, plastic product manufacturing, and office furniture manufacturing, comprise 15% (more than 12,000 jobs) of total manufacturing employment in the region. 

The medical device industry employs over 2,500 people in West Michigan, with a 11%. Whether pioneering production of component parts or shepherding products from concept to market, West Michigan medical device manufacturers like Medbio, Aspen Surgical and Autocam Medical, demonstrate the full range of design innovation and manufacturing capabilities.

More than 40,000 people are employed in automotive manufacturing jobs in West Michigan. Food & beverage manufacturing accounts for another 31,000+ jobs, and has experienced a 10-year growth rate of 29%, exceeding the national average by more than 23%. The aerospace & defense sector supports 8,700 jobs, with a 10-year job growth rate of 18%, outpacing the national average rate of 10%.

The region enjoyed a manufacturing job growth rate of 11% from 2013-2023, significantly outpacing the national rate of 5%. More than 55% of local manufacturers say they plan to expand and 51% aim to increase local employment.

In 2022, manufacturing Gross Regional Product (GRP) totaled $12.63 billion, accounting for 21.1% of the region's total economy, a slight uptick from the 20.8% a year prior. From 2021 to 2022, the region outpaced both state and national manufacturing GRP growth, with an increase of nearly 13%.

With the power of diversity and collaboration fueling its growth, the Grand Rapids manufacturing sector has turned Furniture City into one of the best places to make just about anything in the world.