Northern Initiatives (NI) is a non-profit community development corporation that supports entrepreneurs, businesses, manufacturing firms, banks, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations in a common effort to strengthen the economy of Michigan’s Upper and northern Lower Peninsula and Northeastern Wisconsin. Originally established by Northern Michigan University (NMU) in 1985, Northern Initiatives (NI) became a private, non-profit corporation in 1992. While maintaining a partnership with NMU, Northern Initiatives is also affiliated with ShoreBank Corporation, a community development banking institution based in Chicago. Through its work, Northern Initiatives has made $27M in loans to over 350 businesses. Fifty-five percent of its loans have been to start-up ventures. Northern Initiatives also provides business and manufacturing consulting services. Northern Initiatives serves the 15 counties of the Upper Peninsula, the 5 Wisconsin counties that border the U.P. and 29 counties in the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Along with investing in start-up companies, Northern Initiatives has distinguished itself through partnerships with community banks. Over 30% of NI loans have been made to manufacturers who have used these loans to finance new equipment or support improvements that help them to stay competitive. Northern Initiatives is unique in its blending of financial and information services to support the growth of entrepreneurs and the development of rural economies.
In 1945, Khoury Furniture was founded in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Harry, Edward, James and John Khoury started Khoury Brothers, and they soon had a niche in designing and producing high quality furniture. Today, Khoury employs just over 100 people, has capacity to expand and remains a family-owned business that operates its own saw mill (Aspen Lumber Company) and kilns.
Khoury Furniture is committed to the development of ECO Designs and responsible production of healthy living furniture. They have a combined 63 years of solid wood manufacturing with the most sensitive concern for forests, natural resources and customer health. Their ecological integrity will remain solid and reliable for future generations to enjoy.
Last year, the Aspen Lumber Company completed the SmartWood Certification Process. Khoury Furniture is certified by SmartWood in meeting Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards.
Stewart Manufacturing was started in January, 2003 by its owner and President, Greg Stewart. The business consisted of low volume job shop type work for heavy crane industry and power generation group. Upon completion of its first year, Stewart Manufacturing posted annual sales of 2.4 million dollars and had employed 25 people. Today sales exceed 8 million dollars and 90 people are presently employed. The company has gone from a low volume machine shop to a high volume production shop supplying the automotive, diesel, heavy equipment and power generation industries. Sales in 2008 are expected to exceed 10 million dollars.
REL Machine, located in Calumet, Michigan, began operations in the 1990’s as a 3-employee machining job shop for local customers. However, the company had wider visions of growth and, in 2000, began to transform itself into a high tech research and development company. In 2003, REL expanded its research and development activities which required it to integrate machining, automation and new product development under one roof, and to design and build its own research and development equipment. The company built a new 9,600 sq. ft. production facility that has since been expanded to 14,000 sq. ft., and increased employment to 25 employees. From 2000 to the present, revenues have increased from $315,000 to $1.5 million.
ONLINE Engineering Incorporated has over 25 years experience in the design and fabrication of production systems for the prepared culture media industry. Today, their products span the globe and are used by virtually all major producers of prepared media. ONLINE’s machines now circle the world from the USA, Canada and Mexico, across Europe, to Israel in the Middle East, and Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and New Zealand in the Far East. ONLINE Engineering is a rapidly expanding, privately-held company whose product line is constantly growing.
Jilbert’s Dairy has been in business since 1937. They are Upper Michigan’s very own dairy operation that processes and distributes quality milk, ice cream products, and a wide variety of institutional food products.
The original plant was located on the Jilbert farm in Lake Linden, Michigan. In 1955, the operation moved to larger quarters in Calumet. Then in 1983, Jilbert’s Dairy moved to its current location in Marquette. This move put them in the middle of their milk supply and their customers. Jilbert’s market area covers the entire Upper Peninsula, from Ironwood to Drummond Island, and from Menominee to Copper Harbor. They also cover parts of northern Wisconsin. Back in 1937, Jilbert’s was processing 10,000 lbs. of milk per month. Today, they are processing over 4,000,000 lbs. per month.
Peninsula Powder Coating, Inc. specializes in providing durable, beautiful finishes for various applications, functional and decorative. Many materials such as metal, glass, and thermosetting moldings benefit from powder-coating technology. They are using the environmental advantages of powder coating over traditional wet painting to branch into new markets and are currently in the patent and product development stage on some new products. Peninsula Powder Coating, who opened their doors in Jan. 2004 with one $1,500 truck, two employees and a leased building, currently have 25 employees and are completing their second 7,000 square foot addition. They anticipate continued growth for 2007 and plan to add up to five new employees.
U.P. Engineers and Architects, Inc. serves the Upper Peninsula, Upper Michigan, and Northern Wisconsin also known as the Upper Great Lakes Region. Their professional engineers, architects, landscape architects, surveyors, town planners, and environmental engineers are celebrating 50 years in business, having been founded in 1957. They are among the first Upper Michigan-based firms to offer clients a multi-disciplinary project approach. More than 70 people are employed at five UPEA offices, which are located in Houghton, Marquette, Norway, Sault Ste. Marie, and Marinette, Wis. In addition to their professional staff, they also have engineering and architectural designers, technicians, and field crews.
The Mackinac Straits Fish Company was founded in 1994 by Jill Bentgen, a native of St. Ignace with broad experience in food product development gained through her decades with consumer foods giant Procter & Gamble. Mackinac Straits specializes in smoked freshwater fish products using fish exclusively from the cold, clear waters of the Upper Great Lakes. Its unique food line includes Whitefish Fillets, Lake Links, Whitecaps Spread, and vacuum-packed fresh fillets.
Nu-Vu Foodservice Systems, the leader in on-premise baking, manufacturers a wide variety of commercial baking equipment for use in restaurants and other institutions. Nu-Vu products include baking ovens, bread proofers and pizza equipment. Nu-Vu oven/proofers provide a complete baking center in one unit. With more than 25,000 units sold and counting, they are the standard in on-premise baking. Nu-Vu is now a tri-brand company including Nu-Vu, Toastmaster and Wilder all produced in Menominee.
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