A Michigan advanced composites maker and fabricator plans to invest almost $1 million to expand its facility in Rapid River.
Creative Composites Inc. engineers composites and makes components for the military, automotive, power sports, aerospace and commercial markets. Its products include ballistic panels, vehicular armor and chemical containers.
The company, which sits on a 20-acre site, is planning a $960,000 expansion designed to boost its share of the defense and aerospace markets. The project is expected to create 17 jobs. It will include upgrades to the company's hydraulic presses, new equipment and the addition of an aerospace clean room.
Creative Composites is to receive a $135,000 performance-based grant from the Micro Michigan Business Development Program (MMBDP). Development officials said in a Feb. 22 news release that the company chose Michigan for the project over a competing site in North Carolina "due to the strength of the state's talent base."
The release did not say how much space will be added to the plant, which local media reported last year was 13,000 square feet.
Company President Brad McPhee could not be reached for comment, but said in the release: "Our growth over the past three years has exposed us to many new customers from around the country, which provides logistical challenges inherent to be located in the [Michigan Upper Peninsula]."
Michigan development officials, he added, have shown they are dedicated to supporting the company to overcome those challenges.
"This funding will help us to expand our capabilities and remain competitive in the national aerospace and defense market," McPhee said.