April 19, 2006
Muskegon Chronicle
Robert C. Burns

Muskegon's Ameriform Inc. has ad-ded name-brand canoes and kayaks to its lineup of molded plastic products, bringing in 38 new jobs in the process.

The company recently invested more than $650,000 in its manufacturing facility on Sun Dolphin Drive, near U.S. 31 and Sherman Boulevard, plus nearly $325,000 in new equipment.

Daniel Harris, president of the company, said Ameriform has taken over the small-craft manufacturing end of Johnson Outdoors Inc.'s Leisure Life Division. That includes well-known names like Old Town, Northeast Outfitters and Rogue River canoes, and Dimension and Escape kayaks.

The company also picked up a small, electric-powered boat used in small amusement parks like Craig's Cruisers.

Harris said Johnson Outdoors was looking to move the production of canoes and kayaks out of a facility in Grand Rapids about a year ago.

"We convinced them to come to Muskegon," said Harris.

A handful of employees moved here from Grand Rapids, but most of the 38 employees were new hires, he said.

The new relationship with Johnson Outdoors will add about 20,000 boats to Ameriform's annual output of watercraft, in addition to the Sun Dolphin paddleboats it already makes here.

The 38 additional jobs have brought total employment to 254.

The new investment and jobs were enough to earn the company an Act 198 property tax break over nine years on the new equipment, and over 12 years on real property improvements.

It also will mean that the company will have to expand the extrusion plant, which makes plastic sheeting it uses to make boats and portable toilets. That likely would result in adding 10 to 12 employees next year.