Business Assistance

How Can We Help You?

The Mecosta County Development Corporation (MCDC) strives to help new and existing businesses locate and stay in Mecosta County. In addition to our regular services, we have access to a wide range of external resources, and work closely with local, state, and federal agencies, private business service providers, and higher education.

Are you an entreprenueur looking to start a new business or perhaps a small business owner seeking ways to improve your current operations?  Help is but a click away!  Visit our InsYght resource base through our partnership with The MORE Program on our Home Page to learn more.  It only takes a moment to register and provides free access to resource providers tailored to the needs you identify.

Our regional partners also offer assistance with connecting the entrepreneur with resources to help address a broad array of needs.  Launched in mid-2011, the S.I.T.E. Program (Supporting Innovation of Today's Entrepreneurs) is available to those living in or looking to locate to the mid-Michigan area.  SITE is a comprehensive one-stop resource for entrepreneurs and small business owners focused mainly on the Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, and Isabella Counties area, though our resource providers can provide assistance to a wide range of customers.  More information on this provider resource can be found at the link above.

Another resource for connecting small business owners and entreprenuers to valuable resources is e-Merge West Michigan.  Focused, but not limited to the West Michigan Lakeshore region of the state, their website is a source of information and practical tools for people thinking about starting a business, people who are in the process of starting a business, or people who are trying to grow an existing small business.  The resources available at e-Merge will connect the small business owner and budding entrepreneur to appropriate partner organizations and people who can help them succeed.  

In addition to these resources, be sure to check out the offerings from our other partners and links to additional information below.  The Mecosta County Development Corporation is your ally in local business and industry.  Please don't hesitate to call us today, toll-free, at 1-866-MECOSTA (632-6782) or (231) 592-3403.  We're here to help!

Chamber Business Assistance

Starting a Small Business

Through the Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce, experts are available in virtually every area of business management. These volunteers are either retired or active business owners or managers. They can meet with you at the Chamber office or your place of business.

Every effort is made to match your needs with a counselor who is experienced in a comparable line of business. All Small Business Counseling is free.

Small Business counselors volunteer because they have enjoyed successful careers in business and want to give something back to their communities. They selflessly give their time and expertise so that more small businesses find success.

To arrange a meeting with a Small business counselor, a request form must be completed and can be obtained by contacting the Mecosta County Area Chamber of Commerce by calling (231) 796-7649.

Business Planning Resources

Representative Businesses

Come Grow with Us!

Mecosta County's economic base is growing and diversifying. Featured below are some of the industrial businesses located in Mecosta County that have added diversity and provided jobs for local people. These businesses established sites here because it made sound economic sense.

Big Rapids Components, a division of Haworth, Inc. located in the Big Rapids Industrial Park in 1995. Big Rapids Components manufactures office furniture and warehouses freight in a 400,000-square-foot facility. They employ more than 400 people.

QSX Transport (below) is located in the Mid State Industrial Park located in Morton Township. This transport company was established in 1997 for the purpose of transport and warehousing freight. They completed an expansion of their facility in 2001.

The Pioneer Group Printing Division is located in the Big Rapids Township Airport Industrial Park. Completed in 2000, this facility houses advanced printing presses that serve the printing needs of Pioneer Publications and customers in western Michigan.

Ice Mountain, a division of Nestle Waters North America, constructed their newest facility in Mecosta Township on 8 Mile Road just off of U.S. 131. In July of 2006 Ice Mountain completed the installation of all production lines planned for the facility resulting in an investment of approximately $200 million in our community and 240 jobs for local people in an advanced manufacturing environment.

View Ice Mountain's position on water quality and sustainability

Incentive Programs

SYNOPSIS OF POTENTIAL INCENTIVES AND ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR MANUFACTURERS

Michigan Works! Incumbent Worker Training Program

-  Provides funds to help train existing workers
-  Training program developed by the company and delivered by the training organization of your choice
-  Required 50% matching funds can include in-kind (e.g. worker’s wages while in training)

Michigan Works! Employee Assessment and Hiring Assistance

-  Administration of “WorkKeys” skill assessment tool to potential, existing, and new employees
-  Assistance in accepting employment applications from job seekers

Michigan Works! On-The-Job Training

-  Training costs reimbursed at 50% of the employee’s beginning wage rate
-  Range of training hours is usually 200-600 hours depending on the specific job
-  Written agreement must be in place PRIOR to hiring

Work Opportunity Tax Credit

-  Tax credit provided to employer based on hiring workers with specific characteristics (e.g veterans, public assistance recipients, offenders, etc.)

Michigan Talent Bank

-  Internet-based system of job matching for Michigan employers and job seekers
-  850,000+ available resumes
-  1 million+ searches per month conducted by job seekers
-  95% approval rating by employers

P.A. 198 Industrial Property Tax Abatement

-  Granted at the discretion of the local unit of government
-  Up to 50 % abatement on real or personal property for up to 12 years

P.A. 328 Personal Property Tax Relief in Distressed Communities

-  Granted at the discretion of the local unit of government
-  Up to 100% abatement on personal property and equipment new to Michigan for a term negotiated with local governmental unit
-  Only available in eligible distressed communities (i.e. Big Rapids)

Assistance with Plant and Manufacturing Process Layout

-  Available through the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) and includes assistance with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, quality systems, ISO 14001, costing systems, management, and market diversification (there is a cost involved for this service)
-  Consultation also available through qualified Ferris State University staff (Tom Crandell)
-  Energy audits for existing facilities as well as “green building” design assistance available through qualified Ferris State University staff (Tom Crandell)

State MEGA Tax Credit

-  Subject to state MEGA Board review and approval and is a tax credit against the Michigan Business Tax (MBT)
-  Dependent on competing incentive package from out-of-state
-  Award can be up to 20 years and up to 100% of an amount equal to the personal income tax generated by new (to Michigan) workers
-  For rural counties (Mecosta), must create 5 new jobs in the first year, 25 by year five
-  Wage rates must be 150% of the federal minimum wage (on July 24, 2008, this amounts to $9.83; on July 24, 2009 this will amount to $10.88)
-  Project cannot be announced or work started before the MEGA award

Assistance with Procuring Federal Defense Contracts

-  Available through MEDC Defense Contract Coordination Center
-  Works through the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
-  Provides bid matching and bid package assistance

Anchor Renaissance Zone

-  Limited to five projects per year statewide
-  Pertains to situations where a major industry acts as an anchor to attract additional second and third tier suppliers to locate in proximity to anchor manufacturer
-  Anchor manufacturer becomes eligible to claim any MEGA tax credits normally due to new second and third tier suppliers

Workers’ Compensation Cost Control Service

-  Available as a free service from the MEDC through a “Letter of Authorization” process
-  Assists employers in designing and implementing strategies for minimizing their costs of workers’ compensation coverage

MIOSHA-Consultation, Education and Training (CET) Service

-  Free, no penalty, proactive site assessment of potential safety and health hazards provided by MIOSHA-CET Division
-  Provides the opportunity to learn about possible safety and health hazards and implement corrective actions in advance of a regular MIOSHA enforcement inspection
-  Offers training programs on a wide range of workplace safety and health topics

Identification of Suitable Available Land for New Facility Location or Expansion

-  Local site selection assistance is available to employers looking to locate or expand in Mecosta County
-  Local governments are willing to work with existing employers to accommodate expansion needs
-  Three industrial parks in Mecosta County have sites immediately available for industrial development

Community Infrastructure Development

-  Coordination and proper timing of additional job creation opportunities with local units of government allows for the leverage of outside grant funds in order to provide upgraded water, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, road improvements, and other utility enhancements of benefit to both the company and the local community

Brownfield Redevelopment Incentive

-  Coordination with the county Brownfield Redevelopment Authority could result in the availability of incentives to recapture the cost of any remediation activities on targeted parcels of property (if needed) to level the playing field and make the development of these parcels revenue neutral for the company

Local Area Industrial Renaissance Zone Available for New Construction

-  Located in Big Rapids Township
-  90 acres of developable “Greenfield” land
-  Tax free for up to 16 years with the following provisions:

-  Facilities are still responsible for taxes mandated by the federal government, local bond obligations, school sinking fund, or special assessments

-  Companies located in the Renaissance Zone are not exempt from paying Michigan sales and use taxes

-  Taxes companies located in the Renaissance Zone are exempt from paying include the Michigan Business Tax (MBT), Michigan personal income tax (if a resident of the Zone), Michigan’s 6-mill state education tax, local personal property tax, local real property tax, and local income tax

-  Served by municipal utilities

-  Adjacent to U.S. 131