WARSAW — Autocam Medical CEO John C. Kennedy was so enamored with Warsaw's orthopedic workforce that his company reached out to Medtronic two days after the Warsaw company announced plans to move its Warsaw operations elsewhere.

They wanted to acquire the Medtronic plant along US 30, and even though that plan fell through, it gave the Kentwood, Mich., company a foot in the door. 

Autocam has been using space inside Medtronic's US 30 facility in the Warsaw Technology Park for roughly two years and has seen firsthand the type of workers they can attract.

"There's a unique culture here that I can sense that is very serious about manufacturing high-quality projects," Kennedy said Thursday at a groundbreaking for its future plant just west of the Medtronic property that he had earlier sought to acquire.

"It's unbelievable the amount of interest we get," Kennedy said. "We've had some ads we've run, and we'll get 100 applicants coming out of the Warsaw area, and these are good people."

"These are people that have CNC machining experience that we're looking for — very high caliber workforce here, and we have not seen that anywhere else in the country," Kennedy added.

Autocam Medical manufactures precision-machined surgical implants, instruments and components for the orthopedic industry.

Heavy machinery is already on-site, doing initial work ahead of the construction of a $70 million, 100,000-square-foot plant that will be home to 300 good-paying jobs.

City leaders are just as happy about Autocam's decision to expand in Warsaw.

The company is known for its training assistance and apprenticeships in the Grand Rapids area, and Kennedy said he has already talked with Kosciusko County Ivy Tech about similar training support.

City Council President Jack Wihite said he sees a parallel between Autocam and a company he spent much of his career with — Biomet.

"It appears that they are very much an on-the-job training company that also promotes from within as much as they can and helps get their employees the training and education they need to grow," Wilhite said.

"I find that very exciting for our young folks. In this day and age, when college is so expensive ... This is an opportunity for people to get a job, start to grow without having to put out a bunch of money up front and learn as they grow," Wilhite said.

It's also another chapter in the growing technology park that was launched roughly ten years ago by Jeremy Skinner, the city's director of community and economic development, who works closely with the city redevelopment commission.

Since its opening, the city has invested about $5 million in infrastructure into the park, while companies have added about $100 million in private investment.

That has spurred 555 new jobs in the park with an annual payroll of about $36 million.

"Today, we're here to start a great partnership with Auctocam Medical, and excited to see their new investment, 100,000 square feet," that will be added to the (existing) 510,000  (square feet), Skinner said.

Koscciusko County Economic Development Executive Director Peggy Friday recalled the day she met with Autocam officials about their intentions.

As it turns out, it was just hours after she and other officials learned about Slate Auto's plans to revamp the old RR Donnelley and Sons plant west of Warsaw for a future electric pickup truck manufacturing plant that will result in 1,900 new jobs.

After that discussion, Friday said she hopped in a car to meet with Autocam officials.

"We always remember where we were and what we were doing when something special happens," Friday said.

"We're really thrilled," Friday said. "It's projects like this that keep us as the orthopedic capital ... Thank you so much for investing in Warsaw."

Construction of the new plant is expected to be complete this fall.

The post Autocam Medical appreciates Warsaw’s orthopedic workforce — already! appeared first on News Now Warsaw.

WARSAW — In less than eight weeks, two companies have announced plans to construct manufacturing operations in Warsaw that will create a combined 2,000 new jobs in the community.

[caption id="attachment_113482" align="alignright" width="370"] New construction is underway at the Greenbriar subdivision near the Waraw airport. News Now Warsaw photo by Dan Spalding.[/caption]

While that’s eye-popping news, it will also add to the existing pressure to provide more housing, which has been an acute problem for years.

But this is not a new issue, and various segments of the community have already been addressing the need for more housing way before Slate and Autocam came calling.

Several housing developments are currently underway, including Greenbriar, which is adjacent to the Warsaw Municipal Airport and another in Milford as well as other sporadic projects.

There’s also Union Station Lofts at the old Gatke property in Warsaw, where a crane is helping to construct four floors of apartments and commercial space.

At the same time, the city of Warsaw is working on two long-term projects encompassing residential Tax Increment Finance districts.

Countywide, Kosciusko Economic Development Corp. is working with seven communities to identify available land for housing, said KEDCo’s Executive Director, Peggy Friday.

And earier this year, Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County has launched a large housing coaalition with the Kosciusko County Foundation to encourage more residential growth.

Friday said she’s not worried about accommodating a growing workforce because local efforts are already gearing up.

KEDCo's focus on housing has become a priority.

“We’re focused on strategic growth. Thoughtful, planned approach to economic development and community development,” she said. 

She also expressed confidence in the decision-making and research by Waraw's two future companies.

"Slate Auto, Autocam — they’ve done their homework. They would never have come here if they didn’t think the workforce was here,” Friday said, adding, “We’ve got a close proximity to other communities.”

While everyone agrees more affordable housing is needed, Rob Parker, president and CEO with the Kociusko Chamber of Commerce, said he’s optimistic as he sees an abundance of activity.

“I look at it as a positive. There’s a lot of things happening in our community. There’s projects that are starting right now, if you've been to the Union Station Lofts, which is the old Gatke building,” Parker said. 

“Personally, when I see cranes in our community, that’s such a cool thing. That is so cool. When was the last time we had a crane building something in our community?” he said.

Slate Auto and Autocam have said they both plan to rely on high-skilled, well-paying jobs.

Autocam executive John Kennedy said the fact that the average salary for his future workers in Warsaw is $70,000 is a big factor.

Slate Auto has said that average salaries for future job in the future for Warsaw will be in the same neighborhood.

“We hope that a decent income allows our associates to find comfortable housing in the Warsaw area,” Kennedy said.

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WARSAW — Autocam Medical, a fast-growing med tech company, got a taste of the Warsaw workforce after it began using part of Medtronic’s local facility, and now it wants the full entree.

[caption id="attachment_113337" align="alignright" width="420"] Above is an architectural rendering of Autocam Medical's planned facility in Warsaw. Artwork provided.[/caption]

The company announced on Monday that it plans to construct a $70 million facility in Warsaw’s tech park and will hire up to 300 people over the next few years.

The company originally got its start in the auto industry, but branched out and has become a well-established contract manufacturer of precision-machined tools and items used in orthopedics.

Autocam Medical is headquartered in Grand Rapids and also has operations in two other states.

At the same time, the company already has a strong working relationship with Medtronic and other local orthopedic companies.

The appreciation for local workers, though, began to grow after it began using a portion of Medtronic's facility as part of a long-term plan for Autocam to take the entire building while Medtronic began a planned phase-out of Warsaw.

But those plans changed after Medtronic had second thoughts and decided to stay.

[caption id="attachment_113355" align="alignright" width="168"] Kennedy[/caption]

As a result, Autocam decided to construct its own facility in Warsaw, said President and CEO John Kennedy.

Kennedy said they have come to realize the orthopedic capital of the world has become a great source of workers.

The company has other stateside operations in Plymouth, Mass., and Murfreesboro, Tenn., but the desire to expand to Warsaw began to emerge as it became more familiar with what the firm describes in its announcement as a "vibrant workforce culture."

“When we put an ad in the paper, we had very highly qualified individuals — and a lot of them — relative to what we see in other markets,” Kennedy told News Now Warsaw Monday afternoon.

“We’ve really done well with people there,” Kennedy said. “It’s certainly a great workforce and a great opportunity for us.”

The company said it plans to break ground on the project this year, but construction could take upward of 18 months.

The company says most of the jobs will be high schooled and pay well.

Those include CNC machinists, engineers, and a wide range of technical and manufacturing roles.

"At Autocam Medical’s Michigan location, the average machinist’s salary exceeds $74,000 annually, and the company is looking at similar wage levels in Warsaw," the company said.

The company has been one of the faster growing companies in the orthopedic sector, according to Kennedy.

"We're almost double the size we were, pre-COVID," Kennedy said.

The company constructed a new facility outside of Grand Rapids a few years ago and is still filling out the anticipated 300 or so positions.

Kennedy expressed appreciation for how the city of Warsaw has worked to accommodate the company's expansion plans.

He and Jeremy Skinner, the director of community and economic development for the city of Warsaw, both see the expansion as a double victory for the city.

“Medtronic staying and them needing to find a new location really worked out for us,” Skinner said. “Obviously, having the tech park and the land available (that is) shovel-ready has been huge.”

Monday's announcement was issued in a news release on Autocam's website that area media groups quickly began to highlight.

Hours later, the city's redevelopment commission, with very little fanfare, discussed Autocam and took the first step toward essentially giving the company 15 acres for the expansion at the corner of CR 200W and US 30. The land has already been appraised for  $521,000 but will be disposed of for $1, Skinner said.

Autocam mentioned in its news release a desire to be visible from US 30.

When construction is complete, Autocam and Medtronic facilities along US 30 will serve as bookmarks along the front of the tech park.

The park was established about 12 years ago. In the last eight years, the park has become home to three orthopedic firms: Banner Medical, Mentore Media and what is now known as Medartis.

Skinner said they continue to look for new opportunities to attract more firms and maybe eventually expand the park.

"We’re absolutely thinking about what’s next,” he said.

Over the years, the city has invested about $5 million into the park and has generated well over $50 million in corporate investments.

The 300 jobs with Autocam would mean the park will eventually be home to companies that employ some 800 workers.  

“The encouraging thing is the sheer amount of investment we’ve had out there based on what we’ve put out," Skinner said.

[caption id="attachment_113377" align="aligncenter" width="1044"] Above is a rendering of a new facility operated by Autocam Medical in Kentwood, Mich., just outside of Grand Rapids. Artwork provided.[/caption]

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WARSAW — The upcoming transition whereby Autocam Medical moves into Medtronic’s facility along US 30 is moving slower than expected, but the Michigan-based company remains eager about its future in Warsaw.

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