Coastal Container's sizable Holland expansion has financial support from six state, local organizations

Cassandra Lybrink, The Holland Sentinel
·3 min read

HOLLAND — A full-service packaging company based in Holland has announced plans for a $25 million expansion and more than 60 new jobs — and the project is truly a team effort.

With support from six different local and state entities, Coastal Container will grow it Holland facility by 65,000 square feet, adding new equipment and manufacturing space to meet increasing demand.

“Our family has been in the corrugated business for 60 years now,” said Coastal Container CEO Brent Patterson. “In these past couple of years, Coastal Container has seen tremendous growth, which allows us to make this expansion to better serve our customers and community.”

The company, founded in 2007 in Holland, is a full-service provider of packaging products for multiple industries, including agricultural, automotive, eCommerce and food and beverage. Coastal currently has 94 employees.

Coastal Container will invest $25 million in a sizable Holland expansion, creating more than 60 well-paying jobs.
Coastal Container will invest $25 million in a sizable Holland expansion, creating more than 60 well-paying jobs.

To support the expansion, the company will add dozens of production and salaried positions with benefits packages and pay averaging $21-$30 per hour. Coastal will receive assistance from numerous organizations, including West Michigan Works, Grand Rapids Community College and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Earlier this week, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation voted to approve a $264,000 performance-based grant to aid the expansion. Holland plans to support the project with a 50-percent property tax abatement.

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“We’re thrilled to congratulate the Coastal Container team on their continued growth here in our state," said Quentin Messer, Jr. — CEO of the MEDC. "Michigan has a tremendously compelling value proposition, from our incredible talent and competitive business climate, allowing companies like Coastal Container to realize success and unlock pure opportunity of all kinds right here."

The Michigan Department of Transportation will supporting the expansion through its Freight Economic Development Program, valued at $995,000. Coastal will install a rail spur for delivery of raw material, which will be delivered in the form of paper rolls instead of corrugated sheets. It will also build its own on-site corrugator.

Coastal estimates the transition from truck deliveries to rail deliveries will eliminate the consumption of more than 150,000 gallons of diesel fuel and more than a million miles of truck traffic from roads per year.

“Our environmental footprint and sustainability are key elements to our business,” said Patterson.

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West Michigan Works will provide a workforce training and hiring plan valued at $77,030, and Grand Rapids Community College will provide a training program valued at $400,000. The Holland Board of Public Works will also provide an incentive, though the value is undetermined.

Coastal was assisted in the expansion process by local economic development agency Lakeshore Advantage.

Hudsonville Ice Cream also announced a large expansion Tuesday, May 31, adding 76 new jobs through a $65.7 million investment. The multi-phase project is the most recent in a string of expansions from the company over the past three years.

— Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at cassandra.lybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Coastal Container will invest $25M in Holland, adding 60-plus jobs