By Brian Freiberger [email protected]
Two established county businesses are eyeing expansion in 2024.
Cherry Republic is in the works of expanding its Empirebased headquarters to keep up with demand and consolidate storage space.
“Twenty percent more to the building for primarily more storage,” Cherry Republic owner and president Bob Sutherland said.
Cherry Republic currently stores a large amount of its products in Benzie County, and they are hoping to consolidate those spaces into Empire.
The building would be a little more than 10,000 square feet.
“To get product to that location we are just having a lot of truck time ... We would save a lot of manpower,” Sutherland said.
The building was made possible after Cherry Republic purchased storage units near Cherry Republic headquarters from Fred Salisbury in 2022.
Cherry Republic has made informal requests to change a zoning law although after talking to the zoning administrator and Sutherland that remains unclear.
“Slight change that will allow congruence across the township and the work for it make it easy,” Sutherland said.
Furthermore, Sutherland said this about Cherry Republic’s quarter four of 2023, “We have never had a smoother running fourth quarter. We ended up keeping some (40 agricultural) workers for an extra month, and they made such a difference with retirees and college kids. (Those workers) added an extra element by getting out the orders.”
Cherry Republic’s Ann Arbor location is also looking to double its size, which has been at least a year in the making dealing with the City of Ann Arbor.
“We’ve been working with the city ... It’s been a little slow and we are anxious to double our (size) since late January (2023),” Sutherland said.
Across the county, Elmwood Township-based Thompson Surgical, is in the process of adding a 10,000 square feet space on Cherry Bend Road.
“(The building) is in process right now. All trusses were up (earlier in December), and we are getting it all closed-in before the siding goes on,” Thompson Surgical Vice President Josh Delickta said.
“We have been growing steady for the last few years ... the expansion will allow for more space in manufacturing and quality (inspection).”
Thompson Surgical has been on the peninsula manufacturing medical tools since 1983.
“It gives us a place to stay for the next five to 10 years,” Delickta said.
The 10,000 square foot building is expected to cost in the low-single millions.
Thompson Surgical submitted a building permit in November for a new office and manufacturing space.
Thompson Surgical already has three buildings located on their Cherry Bend campus.
In 2023, Thompson Surgical celebrated 55 years as the world’s first table-mounted retractor which is used in cardio, general, spine, and total joint surgeries.
Thompson Surgical creates and designs its systems in Leelanau County, and is 100% USA made.
The building will allow Thompson Surgical to expand its manufacturing capacity immensely when completed.
