DBusiness Daily Update: ARaymond Expands EV Capabilities with Acquisitions, and More

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
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Rochester Hills auto supplier ARaymond has acquired a pair of Italian companies to boost its EV capabilities. // Courtesy of ARaymond
Rochester Hills auto supplier ARaymond has acquired a pair of Italian companies to boost its EV capabilities. // Courtesy of ARaymond

Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies, including updates about the COVID-19 pandemic. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.

Auto Supplier ARaymond Expands EV Capabilities with Acquisitions

ARaymond, an international automotive fastening and assembly solutions supplier with its North American headquarters in Rochester Hills, has acquired CGA Technologies, an Italian manufacturer of high-performing thermal cooling plates. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

This step follows the acquisition in early October of Castello Italia S.p.A. a company specializing in plastic tube extrusion for pneumatic applications within the transportation and specific industrial market segments.

These acquisitions are not just about broadening the ARaymond product offering, but about scaling up complete and tailor-made plug-and-play solutions, the company says. The goal is to design and deliver optimized thermal management systems within the mobility and selected Industrial sectors.

“As a leader of fastening and assembly solutions for more than 155 years, we continuously strive to reinvent ourselves and stay ahead in the fast-moving markets that we operate in,” says Antoine Raymond, CEO of ARaymond. “The automotive industry is shifting to electric and autonomous vehicles, and we want to actively contribute to this extraordinary transition.

“To meet our customers’ evolving demands, we have a clear vision that agility and time to market are critical and that our customers are expecting complete solutions. For all these reasons, the acquisitions of CGA Technologies and Castello Italia S.p.A, are an ideal fit.”

Raymond adds that the future of ARaymond is about creating sustainable, complete, and quality solutions, that increase assembly efficiency, while being driven by its core commitments to human values and protecting the environment.

The ARaymond Network has more than 7,000 employees in 25 countries around the world.

Tattoo Removal Company Removery Opens Royal Oak Location

Removery, a laser tattoo removal service, announced it is opening a new studio at 30955 Woodward Ave, Suite 210 in Royal Oak.

“We are thrilled to expand Removery’s presence in Michigan,” says Tom Weber, CEO of Removery. “It’s our goal to empower people to become who they want to be, by giving them choices over their tattoos while providing the highest quality service and care at every stage of their tattoo removal journey.”

The Royal Oak studio is a relocation of Removery’s Sterling Heights studio.

As part of the opening, Removery is inviting the Detroit community to visit here to nominate individuals for the INK-nitiative program. A global community outreach initiative, Removery’s INK-nitiative program is designed to provide safe, effective, and free tattoo removal on the hands, neck, and face to those who were formerly incarcerated, gang members, survivors of human trafficking, and those who wish to remove hate symbols or racist tattoos.

For every paying person who completes their tattoo removal journey, Removery will provide a removal service to someone in need.

Holocaust Center to Unveil New ‘Book Smugglers’ Exhibit Jan. 17

The Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills will unveil a new exhibit — The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis — on Jan. 17. The exhibit will run until May 31.

Curated by Holocaust Museum Houston and based on the book of the same name by David E. Fishman, the display asks the question: Would you risk your life to save a book?

Fishman will host a virtual discussion on the topic at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day. To register for the discussion, visit here.

Book Smugglers is the true story of ghetto residents who rescued thousands of rare books and manuscripts by hiding them on their persons, burying them in bunkers, and smuggling them across borders. Set in Vilna, Lithuania, also known as the “Jerusalem of Lithuania” for its robust Jewish culture rich with art, music, literature, poetry, theater, and opera, a small group of partisans and poets risked everything to save Jewish cultural treasures.

Prior to WWII, literature and art enabled Vilna residents to rise above their everyday persecution and enjoy a world of beauty in sound and color. Cultural activity compensated for the Jews’ difficult political and economic situation. Once Vilna’s Jews were forced to live in a ghetto, the “Paper Brigade” was formed by a group of 40 intellectuals, writers, educators, and activists to save Judaica for the next generation.

Together, they rescued Jewish artifacts, books, scrolls, photographs, works of art, diaries, and literature from the Nazis by either smuggling them into the ghetto or hiding them in plain sight.

“This is truly an incredible tale of heroism, resistance, and friendship and of unwavering devotion-including the readiness to risk one’s life to save literature and art,” says Rabbi Eli Mayerfeld, CEOof the Holocaust Center. “Dr. Fishman thoroughly researched this astonishing account by reviewing Jewish, German, and Soviet documents, including diaries, letters, memoirs, and by interviewing several of the story’s participants. We are honored to have Dr. Fishman lead this virtual discussion on International Holocaust Remembrance Day to share this inspiring story about saving important literary history.”

Additionally, on Jan. 27, the Holocaust Center will feature a second-generation Holocaust survivor speaking at noon. Space is limited and reservations are required. At 1 p.m. there will be a docent-led public tour of the museum. Reservations are required. Visit here to make a reservation.

Great Decorate Competition Raises $54K+ for Foster Teens

The Great Decorate: Fostering Hope for the Holidays has wrapped up its 2021 holiday tree decorating contest in downtown Birmingham and will provide more than $54,000 in support to both small businesses and foster teens in need.

From Nov. 18 to Dec. 31, 2021, participating businesses throughout downtown Birmingham decorated holiday trees and encouraged donations for The Great Decorate’s nonprofit initiative.

All donations counted as votes toward the community’s favorite tree, while also providing financial support for a group of local foster teens who are about to age out of the system of support.

Each of the 20 teens will be provided with a check for $2,734 when they turn 18 years old. In addition, two participating businesses — Tender and the Carlson, Gaskey, and Olds patent law firm — each received $6,000 in prize money.

“We are thrilled with the results, and we cannot wait to do it again next year,” says Tara Fortney, an organizer, foster parent, and manager at Great Lakes Wine & Spirits.

For more information and to support the cause, visit here.

Discover Macomb Series Highlights What MCC Offers

Potential students and their parents can learn what Macomb Community College has to offer through five virtual Discover Macomb sessions to be conducted Jan. 25-March 3.

During each one-hour Zoom session representatives from Macomb admissions will give a brief overview of the college followed by individual academic departments providing in-depth information on the program area. This will include program requirements, transfer plans and connections to workforce opportunities, and will be followed by a question-and-answer period. The presentations will take place:

  • Public Service Institute – Tuesday, Jan. 25, 7-8 p.m.
  • Business, IT, and Culinary – Thursday, Feb. 3, 7-8 p.m.
  • Engineering and Advanced Technology – Tuesday, Feb. 15, 7-8 p.m.
  • Arts and Sciences – Thursday, Feb. 24, 7-8 p.m.
  • Health and Human Services – Thursday, March 3, 7-8 p.m.

Participants in each Discover Macomb session are eligible to win a $50 gift card to the Macomb bookstore will also be entered into a single drawing for a $500 scholarship to Macomb.

All Discover Macomb events are free of charge but require preregistration. For more information and to register, visit here.