Knape & Vogt to expand
Grand Rapids, MI -- Knape & Vogt today announced that it will expand its Grand Rapids operations through investment in increased drawer slide manufacturing capability and the consolidation of its newly acquired John Sterling Corporation currently located in Richmond, Illinois.

The drawer slide investment will allow the company to in-source the manufacturing of products used by office furniture companies to build file storage products. KV currently buys these products from third party suppliers in Taiwan. Production is scheduled to begin later this year.

The consolidation of John Sterling will relocate manufacturing, distribution, and administration functions to KV’s existing facilities and will result in the closing of the existing John Sterling operations in Illinois and Wisconsin. John Sterling employees with appropriate skills will be offered the opportunity to relocate to Grand Rapids for the operations and administration positions created by the consolidation. Planning for the move is in progress and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2011.

“Our new drawer slide manufacturing capability couples a significant investment in automation with lean manufacturing principles to allow us to provide excellent quality products to our office furniture customers at prices that compete with Asian suppliers.” commented Peter Martin, President and CEO of Knape & Vogt. “The John Sterling consolidation leverages our existing Grand Rapids manufacturing base but, more importantly, allows us to more effectively service our customers and sell the combined companies’ product lines as one organization to drive future growth for our business.”

The expansion will create as many as one hundred new jobs in Grand Rapids and protect an additional thirty five existing jobs. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has approved a Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) incentive of $335,000 that will be distributed over five years. In addition, the City of Grand Rapids will provide property tax abatement incentives to be distributed over twelve years.

About Knape & Vogt

Knape & Vogt, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan brings more than a century of experience to the design, manufacturing, and distribution of functional hardware, storage-related components and ergonomic products for original equipment manufacturers, specialty distributors, office products dealers, hardware chains and major home centers throughout the US and Canada. Major product categories include: KV® and GSlide brand drawer slides; KV brand kitchen and bath storage products; KV and John Sterling brand wall-attached shelving units, closet hardware, and specialty hardware products; and Workrite® brand ergonomic office products.

SOURCE: Knape and Vogt

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