GRAND RAPIDS— The West Michigan economy remains on a positive footing, although time will likely show January was the peak of the COVID-19 recession recovery, and now most manufacturers have returned to near-full operations, although a number of challenges remain. “Although the automotive parts suppliers represent many of the recovered jobs, parts shortages are inhibiting auto
GRAND RAPIDS - The Grand Rapids metropolitan area was the fastest growing economy in the U.S. last year, according to Headlight Data, a company that tracks economic and workforce development. Grand Rapids' workforce grew 4.4 percent last year, according to Headlight, which used U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to reach its conclusions. Total employment in the
GRAND RAPIDS - The West Michigan economy, still heavily dependent upon manufacturing, will probably not grow as strongly in 2016 and 2017 as it did this year, but the trajectory definitely is up and to the right, an economist predicted Thursday. George Erickcek, a senior regional analyst for the Upjohn Institute for Employment Research, also
