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.
Eats All Good Opens in Detroit’s Rivertown District
Pamela Rodgers and Rachelle Nash recently celebrated the grand opening of their commercial kitchen — Eats All Good — in Detroit’s Rivertown District. Eats All Good is a plant-based specialty food company and social enterprise, that manufactures and distributes vegan snack bars.
“Pamela and Rachelle are examples of everything that’s good about Detroit’s small business entrepreneurs,” says Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan who was at the festivities. “Not only will Eats All Good provide an important service, it will change lives through its partnership with Alternatives for Girls. We are honored Pamela and Rachelle chose Detroit to open their business and proud that Motor City Match has been able to help them realize their dream.”
The establishment received a MCM Round 13 $50,000 cash grant that it used to transform a former textile manufacturing facility into an industrial kitchen. It also purchased equipment to produce and package the healthy snack bars. Rodgers and Nash are in the process of expanding their product line to include gelato and various baked goods.
“We believe that good food and good deeds go hand-in-hand,” says Nash. “Our delicious vegan snacks are handmade to empower the women of Detroit by providing them with meaningful employment. We’ve already seen how this can help transition women into becoming strong, contributing members of society.”
Located at 2910 E. Jefferson, the facility consists of two buildings — an office space that was once owned by business mogul Joseph Campau and a separate commercial kitchen, which serves as the manufacturing headquarters for the company’s wholefood, plant-based bars. As their business grows, Rodgers and Nash plan to hire 20 fulltime employees through AFG.
Founded in 2015, Eats All Good is in negotiations with several grocers and other distribution sites, including Eastern Market and the new, nearby Meijer Rivertown Market, to sell its products.
For more information, visit www.EatsAllGood.com.
Comcast Increases Xfinity Internet Speeds in Michigan
Comcast announced today that it has increased speeds for its most popular Xfinity Internet tiers, providing an extra boost for millions of customers in Michigan.
Beginning today, the following upgrades will go live automatically at no additional cost:
- Performance Starter upload speeds will double to 50/10 Mbps.
- Performance upload speeds will double to 100/10 Mbps.
- Blast speeds will increase from 200/10 Mbps to 300/10 Mbps.
- Extreme speeds will increase from 400/20 Mbps to 600/20 Mbps.
- Extreme Pro speeds will increase from 800/20 Mbps to 900/20 Mbps.
- Gigabit Pro speeds will increase from 2/2 Gbps to 3/3 Gbps symmetrical nationwide.
Xfinity is the country’s largest Gigabit network, delivering speeds faster than a Gig. Gigabit Pro uses enterprise-grade, fiber-based ethernet technology to make it possible for Xfinity Internet customers to receive symmetrical multi-gigabit speeds so you can stream or game in 4K in multiple rooms in your home.
“Today’s homes require fast reliable internet, wall-to-wall Wi-Fi, and a way to manage the connectivity needs of the entire household,” says Tim Collins, regional senior vice president for Comcast in Michigan. “To keep up with our customers’ needs, we continue to increase speeds, and give them coverage and control to support the growing number of connected devices, apps and tech in their homes.”
Comcast’s Xfinity Internet service is delivered using Comcast’s existing network architecture and the connections that are already in most customers’ homes. Over the last decade, Comcast has invested nearly $30 billion to build a fiber-dense network comprised of 191,000 route miles.
SyBridge Technologies Announces Renaming of Subsidiary Companies
SyBridge Technologies in Southfield announced today the renaming of its subsidiary companies to SyBridge Technologies. The name change reflects the company’s broad, technology-enabled capability set and solutions offerings to our customers within the mobility, life sciences and technology and services sectors.
In conjunction with universal rebranding, SyBridge IoT Cloud, announced earlier this year, is now live and available to all customers. SyBridge IoT Cloud is a digital platform that allows users to access tool-specific information at any time, ensuring a SyBridge tool will never be without its data.
“The name change of our subsidiaries aligns with SyBridge’s identity as a differentiated technologies solutions provider,” says Tony Nardone, CEO of SyVBridge. “This, along with the launch of the SyBridge IoT Cloud, further positions SyBridge Technologies as a leading industrial technology company.”
For more information, visit here.
Northville’s Gentherm Partners to Develop Battery Cell Connecting System
Northville-based Gentherm, a developer of thermal management technologies, and Datang NXP Semiconductors Co., Ltd. in China are jointly developing a new cell connection system, integrating the electronics for the battery module control for the global automotive market.
This first-of-its-kind cell connection system will combine the single-cell monitoring integrated circuit (IC) and electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of Datang NXP Semiconductors with the proprietary design of Gentherm’s cell connecting systems, a foil-based conductor made by a mechanical structuring process that replaces complex sensor cable harnesses.
The combination of both technologies provides a battery cell monitoring solution that is designed to enable visibility to battery monitoring software and systems, paving the way for significant advances in electric vehicle battery performance, safety, longevity, and improved user feedback.
“We see this partnership as an important milestone that will greatly impact the automotive electric vehicle industry and adjacent markets,” says Thomas Stocker, senior vice president and general manager of digital interiors and battery performance solutions for Gentherm. “By measuring the actual health and temperature of the battery inside the cell, we are able to increase the safety and longevity of these vehicles, leading to improved economics and increased performance for our customers.”
Joe Dumars Fieldhouse at Former State Fairgrounds Set to Reopen Nov. 4
Joe Dumars’ Fieldhouse, Detroit is set to reopen Nov. 4 in the historic agricultural building at the former Michigan State Fairgrounds. The Fieldhouse, Detroit opened its doors in November 2004 and operated in the 100-year-old building until mid-March 2020 when it closed due to the pandemic.
“We have always been proud to provide a clean and safe environment for people of all ages to play basketball,” says Dumars, the basketball Hall of Fame namesake of the facility. “It was devastating to us to be forced to close our operations during a time when they were so needed.”
The Fieldhouse, Detroit features four full-sized basketball courts and a half court for training and private events.
Visit here for hours of operations, court reservations, and booking private events.
Shake Shack Opens at Village of Rochester Hills
The Village of Rochester Hills recently saw the addition of a Shake Shack outlet to its restaurant lineup.
The Rochester Hills Shack is Shake Shack’s fifth location in Michigan and is located at 66 N. Adams. It will be open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily and offer guests both indoor and outdoor dining options. It also features a Shack Track walk-up window.
“We are so excited to finally open in Village of Rochester Hills,” says Andrew McCaughan, chief development officer at Shake Shack. “Our Rochester Hills team is ready to serve up our classic burgers and shakes to the community.”
Meijer’s Rivertown Market Donates $40K to Area Nonprofits
Rivertown Market, which opened by Grand Rapids-based Meijer earlier this month, donated $40,000 to eight Detroit-based charities in support of their missions within the city.
“As a family-owned company, we care about the communities we serve and are proud to support these organizations that are making a difference in the city of Detroit,” says Marcus Reliford, store manager. “The community has embraced Rivertown Market since our doors opened, and we’re excited to build on that momentum and work with the community to make an even bigger impact.”
The following nonprofits each received $5,000 donations:
- GIVE Merit
- Greening of Detroit
- Detroit PAL
- COTS Detroit
- Bees In The D
- Better Detroit Youth
- Stem Genius
- Pure Heart Foundation
Detroit Natives Launch Motor City Industry Fest
The Capital Brand, led by husband and wife J.T. and Randi Maples, will be making their mainstage production debut with the first Motor City Industry Festival, Nov. 13-14, at TCF Center.
The event will include conference panels discussing the music industry, entrepreneurship, business, financial literacy, and more; a high-end car and fashion show, a job fair, local small business vendors, and live concert performances featuring A-list performers and musicians from around the world.
“People want to attend events again,” says J.T. Maples, owner and event organizer of The Capital Brand. “Our job is to make these events meaningful and worth their time. The goal is to produce a weekend-long series of impactful conversations, connections, and of course live concert performances that the city, state, and region will enjoy and anticipate for next year.”
The event expects to draw more than 10,000 youth and adults from the region. The couple expects to take Industry Fest on a five- to seven- city tour starting in January.
Tickets are on sale here.
Study: Operating EV Costs Less than Gas Vehicle After Three Years
Service costs for electric cars and light trucks fall to 30 percent lower than their gasoline-powered counterparts at three years on the road, according to the Deepview True Cost Second Owner Study published by Ann Arbor predictive analytics and data company We Predict.
Deepview True Cost SOS measures actual money spent by owners and manufacturers of 2018-model-year vehicles during their first three years on the road.
“The data bears out what many hoped would be true,” says James Davies, founder and CEO of We Predict. “While EV service costs are higher than their gas counterparts early in ownership, the cumulative service costs for EVs fall over time to 30 percent less than gas vehicles at three years on the road — primarily due to lower maintenance costs.”
Among the findings: EVs have fewer mechanical parts than gasoline vehicles, contributing to 22 percent lower repair costs. The primary difference in cost, however, is maintenance. The average spent on maintenance per EV in the first three years is $77, significantly lower than the $228 average for gas vehicles.
“Consumers have high expectations for EVs in terms of cost of ownership,” says Renee Stephens, vice president of North American operations for We Predict. “While costs early in the ownership period are higher for EVs, they eventually become more economical — for both the owner and the manufacturer. Over time, less EV maintenance offsets the higher year-one costs for diagnosis, repair, and campaigns.”
WJLB-FM to Host 38th Annual Coats for Kids Radiothon Nov. 6
Detroit hip-hop and R&B radio station 97.9 WJLB-FM is raising money and collecting coats and other winter accessories during its 38th annual Coats for Kids Radiothon sponsored by The MolinaCares Accord to benefit The Salvation Army of Metro Detroit.
This year, the event returns in-person from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 6 at RollerCade Detroit, located at 2130 Schaefer Hwy. in Detroit.
The Salvation Army 2021 Coats for Kids campaign provides coats and other winter accessories to children in need across metro Detroit. Listeners can drop off new children’s coats — infant through adult sizes — throughout the event.
Listeners who are not able to attend the Coats for Kids drive can still support the cause by donating online at salmich.org or texting COAT to 24365. A donation of $25 will help provide a coat and other winter accessories to keep one child warm this winter.
“Keeping families warm with proper clothing during bitter cold Michigan winters is not an easy task,” says Maj. Tim Meyer, general secretary and metro Detroit area commander (regional chief operating officer) for The Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division. “We are so grateful for our longstanding partnership with WJLB for the Coats for Kids Radiothon. Their efforts and support help ensure no child in metro Detroit is left without a coat.”
