Madsen Wire expands into Bronson with 70 new jobs

BRONSON — Madsen Steel Wire Products, LLC will expand 12 miles north into Bronson with a $552,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation announced Thursday.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $6.9 million and create 70 jobs.

Headquartered in Orland, Indiana, the company specializes in producing custom wire forms, fabricated wire products, and metal parts for commercial restaurants, grocery retailers, automotive manufacturers, industrial, and lawn and garden industries.

“Madsen Steel Wire Products is excited to expand its manufacturing floor space (by) 100,000 square feet to handle our fast growth,” said Drew Greenblatt, president of Madsen Steel. “Bronson is an ideal community to raise a family and grow a business. We are enthusiastic about hiring local new teammates so we can build in Michigan and export our wire racks and grates and point of purchase display products all over the world."

Madsen chose Michigan over a competing site in Indiana due to the ease of collaboration and proximity of the Bronson site to the company headquarters in Indiana.

Madsen plans to purchase two existing, long-vacant 100,000-square-foot facilities that will allow the company to expand its manufacturing capabilities. Putnam Hitch Company constructed both buildings at 211 Industrial Ave.

The city approved an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Act property tax abatement to support the project. The assessment value and taxes will be frozen for up to 12 years.

Bronson approved the sale of an adjacent seven acres Madsen could use for expansion at $1 per acre. That sale is pending.

Bronson City Manager Brandon M. Mersman said, “By adding new jobs and injecting vital funds into our local economy, this partnership is a significant step forward for Bronson. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact Madsen Wire will bring to our residents, workforce, and overall quality of life.”

“We are thrilled to see Madsen Steel joining the Branch County community by investing in one of Bronson’s key industrial sites and creating new jobs,” said Branch County Economic Growth Alliance Director Audrey Tappenden. “We look forward to celebrating their successes and continuing to partner with their thoughtful and responsive leadership team.”

---Contact Don Reid: [email protected].