Industry in Grand Rapids, MI

Grand Rapids has been a center for furniture and automobile manufacturing. However, because the two industries are so close together, the industries have declined in the region along with manufacturing in general. Both American Seating and Steelcase, both of which are major manufacturers of office furniture, are both based in Grand Rapids.

Recently the city has obtained some success in developing and attracting businesses that focus on health science with the use of facilities like the Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Valley State University's Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences, and Michigan State University's planned medical school.