HOLLAND - In general, West Michigan companies seem to be holding steady on technology hiring. Sixty percent continue to plan on hiring more tech staff in the next six months just as they did for all of 2015. Fewer, only about 50 percent, are raising salaries. Perhaps this is because in 2015 more than 75
ANN ARBOR - Consumer confidence rose to its highest level since July, according to the University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The December reading was nearly equal to the 2015 average of 92.9, which was the highest since 2004. The gain was largely due to lower inflation, which bolstered real incomes and brightened buying plans
EAST LANSING - Two Michigan State University College of Engineering researchers have earned a national honor for being leaders of innovation and invention. Anil Jain, a University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering, and Ramani Narayan, a University Distinguished Professor of chemical engineering and materials science, have been named fellows of the National Academy
LANSING - New home construction will see a robust increase in 2016, according to a forecast from the Michigan Association of Home Builders. The association estimates that 16,831 permits for new construction will be issued in 2016, up from 13,467 estimated for 2015. Association CEO Bob Filka said the increase stems from job growth and
GRAND RAPIDS - Dematic has completed its acquisition of Reddwerks Corporation, the creator of Warehouse Execution Software that provides customers with real-time decision engines to optimize material and information flow in the supply chain. Reddwerks will operate as a subsidiary of Dematic under the tradename Dematic Reddwerks, offering an enhanced software suite that provides responsive
LANSING - Liquid Web has partnered with Westlund’s Apple Market for a “Fill the Truck” campaign Wednesday to provide a final push for the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Since Thanksgiving, Liquid Web employees have donated about $2,500 in food to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, but now are reaching out to the community to provide
DETROIT – McConnell Communications of Detroit has been awarded a $4,000 Growth Grant by the National Association for the Self-Employed. McConnell Communications is one of three winners of NASE’s third-quarter Growth Grants to help expand their business operations. McConnell Communications is a public relations and marketing firm owned and operated by Darci McConnell, a veteran
GRAND RAPIDS - The West Michigan economy, still heavily dependent upon manufacturing, will probably not grow as strongly in 2016 and 2017 as it did this year, but the trajectory definitely is up and to the right, an economist predicted Thursday. George Erickcek, a senior regional analyst for the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, also
MIDLAND - It’s finally official. After a week of news leaks, Michigan’s Dow Chemical Co. and Delaware’s DuPont Co. will merge in a deal valued at $130 billion. The merger of the two chemical giants will combine products from both Dow and DuPont in agriculture, commodities chemicals and specialty chemicals to create the new businesses - created
LANSING - The Michigan House continues to work with its members to get the votes needed to pass legislation that would provide sales, use and property tax exemptions for data centers in the state, something inspired by Switch, a Nevada-based center looking to move into West Michigan. The House Tax Policy Committee on Wednesday reported
