News Release Provided By The Right Place
BISSELL to add 100 jobs and invest $10 million in Walker
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH (March 6, 2019): Today The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the City of Walker, announced that BISSELL, Inc. will be expanding its existing headquarters in the City of Walker. This expansion will result in the creation of 100 new jobs and a capital investment of $10 million.
BISSELL was established in 1876 as a family owned business and has now grown into a global brand. The company creates premium cleaning products for the home, and has developed a complete collection of vacuums, carpet cleaners, hard floor cleaners, pet grooming products and specially-formulated cleaning solutions.
While the company now owns operational locations and business offices around the world, BISSELL has remained a family-owned business, and has kept the heart of its operations in the West Michigan community. They currently employ 490 in West Michigan.
For several years, BISSELL has seen consistent growth in its global revenues. With an expanding employee-base and investments in continued growth, the company has simply run out of room at its corporate headquarters. This will be a 25,000 square foot expansion that will be used for office space.
“Grand Rapids, and it’s healthy business environment, have been integral to BISSELL operations for over 140 years,” said Mark Bissell, Chairman and CEO, BISSELL, “We continue to see employment growth in this community. The decision to continue our investment here made sense and we thank The Right Place and MEDC for their partnership.”
The company considered several alternative options before choosing to expand its Grand Rapids facility. One of these options included dispersing the additional jobs among its other operations, primarily in Illinois and North Carolina. The Right Place worked in collaboration with BISSELL and the MEDC to ensure the company chose to add those jobs to the region instead. The Right Place also connected BISSELL with West Michigan Works! to provide assistance with worker training.
“This expansion project from a global leader like BISSELL reaffirms that West Michigan is a world-class destination for business success,” said Birgit M. Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc. “It is why we are steadfast in our support of existing companies in the region, assisting them as they continue to grow, invest, and ultimately create jobs in the community.
The MEDC is supporting the expansion effort with the approval of a $500,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. The City of Walker is also considering a P.A. 198 tax abatement in support of the expansion.
“For over 100 years, BISSELL has been an excellent business partner in the West Michigan community,” said Mayor Gary Carey, City of Walker. “We’re pleased to see them continue their growth in The City of Walker, and we’re proud to be the community BISSELL calls home.
About BISSELL
For more than 140 years, Michigan-based BISSELL, Inc. and its subsidiaries have developed innovative floor care solutions that make cleaning up after families and pets easier. As the top-selling brand in floor care appliances based on NPD unit sales, BISSELL supplies households across the globe with vacuums, sweepers, carpet-cleaning machines, hard floor cleaners and cleaning formulas. Many products are specifically engineered with pet families in mind, offering solutions for stains, odors, pet shedding and accidents for those who love their pets, but not the mess. Now in its fourth generation of family leadership, BISSELL understands that fuller lives often mean more messes, and that convenient cleaning tools help us embrace life’s messier moments. For more on the complete line of BISSELL products, visit www.bissell.com.
About The Right Place, Inc.
The Right Place, Inc., is a regional nonprofit economic development organization founded in 1985 and supported through investments from the private and public sector. Its mission is to promote economic growth in the areas of quality employment, productivity and technology in West Michigan by developing jobs through leading business retention, expansion and attraction efforts. For more information, visit: www.rightplace.org.
