What’s happening: The Albion-based manufacturer Caster Concepts recently broke ground on a $2 million expansion of its headquarters. The expansion will add 16,000 sq. ft. to their Albion footprint, enabling the company to grow – as it expects to.
“We’re betting on future growth,” says Caster Concepts President Bill Dobbins. “Unlike most companies, we function better with lots of space. We create unique solutions for customers, and that requires more room for testing. We want to be prepared for the next great innovation.”
Who they are: Caster Concepts is an industrial, heavy-duty wheel and caster manufacturer founded in Albion in 1987. The company has grown significantly since its founding, expanding from three employees in 1987 to now employing 125 workers in Albion and the surrounding area. More hires are expected with this recent investment. The company also has four subsidiaries under its umbrella: Aerol, Conceptual Innovations, Reaction Industries, and Fabricating Concepts.
What’s planned: Caster Concepts is adding 16,000 sq. ft. to accommodate a larger engineering department, expanded floor space for product development and testing, additional truck docks, and more office space, manufacturing areas, and employee facilities. Jonesville’s D.H. Roberts Construction has been tapped to manage and build the addition and Driven Design from Battle Creek is overseeing the design and engineering.
It’s expected that the expansion will be completed in March of this year.
Community partner: The company is notable for its work in Albion and the surrounding community, which includes education and technology initiatives for local kids and teenagers. In fact, Gov. Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission just awarded the company the 2022 Corporate Impact Award this past November.
What they’re saying: “Our community initiatives are an essential part of Caster Concepts’ purpose to manufacture greatness within our employees to positively impact their families, communities and customers,” says Dobbins.
Caster Concepts is located at 16000 Michigan Ave. in Albion.
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