AFS Corporate Member Betz Industries (Grand Rapids, Michigan) is planning to invest $3.5 million to add a new 41,280 sq. ft. facility in Walker, Michigan, that would offer machining services. The gray and ductile iron caster produces castings for multiple industries.

According to a report from MiBiz.com, the addition could add 15 new jobs and will allow the company to machine products instead of sub-contracting to other facilities.

“We’ve always had our customers ask us to do machining, or for us to find outside machining sources for them,” co-owner Gregg Betz told MiBiz. “We’ve had a number of our customers that have asked us to do some of the 2D type machining, especially at the bottoms of the castings.”

The company has reportedly purchased 52 acres of land in the area, which is next to Betz Industries’ campus. Construction should be complete by the end of 2019.
Walker city manager Darrel Schmalzel said the addition is good news for the area.

“They continue and always have been a wonderful asset to the community,” Schmalzel said, according to the report.