Our roundup of the latest news from metro Detroit and Michigan businesses as well as announcements from government agencies. To share a business or nonprofit story, please send us a message.
Stahls in New Baltimore to Host Autos for Autism Sept. 15
Stahls Automotive Foundation in New Baltimore is hosting its fourth annual Autos for Autism from 4-8 p.m. on Sept. 15, featuring many famous vehicles and special guests.
Vehicles at the event, which benefits the Ted Lindsay Foundation, will include three of Hagerty’s Historical Vehicle Association cars: 1970 Dodge Challenger “The Black Ghost,” 1952 Hudson Hornet (Herb Thomas car), Stahls’ 1963 Chrysler Turbine, and the 1949 Buick Roadmaster, formerly owned by Dustin Hoffman and used in the 1988 movie “Rain Man.”
Special guests will include Wayne Carini, host of “Chasing Classic Cars,” former Detroit Red Wings goalie Eddie Mio; and Butch Patrick, best known as Eddie Munster on “The Munsters.” Tom Daldin and Jim Edelman from the PBS show “Under the Radar Michigan” also will be on hand.
Tickets go on sale to the general public here at 9 a.m. Aug. 17 at 9:00am. General admission tickets are $20 each and VIP are $40 each. Tickets required for ages 16 and up.
Inc. Includes Roseville’s Ultimation Industries on Fastest-growing Companies List
Ultimation Industries in Roseville was named one of Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the second time, achieving a three-year revenue growth rate of more than 112 percent.
Ultimation is a direct-to-consumer conveyor manufacturer, specializing in solving productivity challenges with fast-to-deploy solutions. In addition to major automobile manufacturers, Ultimation’ customers are in the food processing, vertical farming, heavy equipment, warehousing, and fulfillment and delivery industries.
“Being named to the Inc. 5000 for the second time confirms the effectiveness of our multi-year strategy to expand into e-commerce, innovate for our mainstay automotive customers and develop new products that provide greater material handling efficiency across multiple industries,” says Jacqueline Canny, CEO of Ultimation. “It is an honor to be recognized alongside so many successful and growing U.S. private companies.”
Highlights of some of Ultimation’s recent business successes include:
- Offering “quick ship” standardized components with low price points sold through the Ultimation website and in Amazon stores.
- Landing the contract to design and build the conveyors and material handling system for one of the world’s largest indoor vertical farming facilities.
- Using Industry 4.0 tools such as additive manufacturing (3-D printing), for some tooling and fixtures.
- Introducing new products and technologies for improved productivity, including warehouse robots, Qimarox lifters, and Portec conveyors that allow companies of all sizes to transform their facilities into fully integrated warehouses.
- Adding a new warehouse facility in Sterling Heights to better accommodate e-commerce growth.
“We’re always looking to improve as that’s how we continue to grow,” Canny says. “At any given time, we’re working on new products, and also investing in tooling or new processes to produce our existing products more efficiently. Our vision is to become the Ultimate in Automation.”
For more information, visit ultimationinc.com.
In related news, Zolli Candy in Walled Lake made the Inc. 5000’s fastest-growing private companies in the United States list for the fourth straight year.
“Zolli Candy still found ways to grow in sales and grow its team during what I’d most certainly call our hardest year yet,”’ says Alina Morse, 17, founder and CEO of Zolli Candy. “We even launched new delicious healthy items to keep people all over the world smiling. Our biggest challenges during the pandemic have been juggling supply chain gaps, suppliers closing, and retail clients closing. The tenacity of our team and our will to help others never stopped.”
Zolli Candy first appeared on the list in 2019 with three-year revenue growth of 635 percent and has landed on a spot on the list ever since (2022, 2021, 2020). In fact, Morse has been the youngest Inc. 5000 CEO each year she has appeared on the list — all before even turning 18.
Morse started Zolli Candy after a trip to the bank with her dad at age 7. Her products are certified sugar-free by Sugarwise, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, non-GMO, and free of the top eight allergens.
Zolli Candy is a woman-owned and cause-based company, committed to giving 4 million products through the “Million Smiles Initiative” to help fight America’s most chronic childhood disease – tooth decay.
To learn more, visit http://ZolliCandy.com.
To read a DBusiness magazine profile of Morse, visit https://www.dbusiness.com/from-the-magazine/sweet-success/.
Home Builders Association Announces Skilled Trades Scholarship Winners
The Home Builders Association (HBA) of Southeastern Michigan’s Charitable and Educational Foundation in Bingham Farms has named 10 recipients of awards through its HBA Skilled Trades Scholarship Fund.
The fund was formed to support young people who will become the next generation of construction workers in southeast Michigan.
The 2022 scholarships were presented to:
Ian Tokie, a student at Oakland Community College and an employee at Thomas Sebold & Associates — Paul & Cheryl Robertson Honorary Scholarship ($5,000 ).
Jake Frisch, a second time scholarship recipient who is completing his program at South East Michigan Construction Academy (SEMCA) — Paul & Cheryl Robertson Honorary Scholarship ($2,000).
Cadar Torrence, a student at SEMCA — David S. Compo Family Memorial Scholarship ($3,500).
Logan Wise, a student at SEMCA — David S. Compo Family Memorial Scholarship ($1,600).
Wyatt Carnes, an employee at Thomas Sebold & Associates — Walter R. Stoskopf Memorial Scholarship ($2,500).
Jake Tuckerman, a student at SEMCA — general scholarship ($1,500).
Jordan McBee, a student at Henry Ford Community College — general scholarship ($1,000).
Chozen Sampson, a student at SEMCA — general scholarship ($1,000).
Mario Al Ton, a student at SEMCA — general scholarship ($1,000).
Cody Allen, a student at SEMCA — general scholarship ($1,000).
The foundation awards scholarships to individuals in Michigan, generally aged 18 to 25 years, who are pursuing a construction career by either working for a residential builder or subcontractor, studying in post-secondary residential construction skilled trades training, or enrolled in a two-year college degree program in the area of construction.
The opportunity to apply for scholarship consideration through this fund has been announced to all known high school trades programs across Michigan as well as post-secondary training centers and two-year collegiate programs that offer courses and degrees in areas directly related to home construction. Applications for 2023 are being accepted now through June 14, 2023, here.
