COLDWATER, MI. — Foam manufacturer SEKISUI Voltek unveiled its new $39 million expansion Tuesday, May 19, increasing capacity and new production of cross-linked, closed-cell foams.
President and COO Neil Beckhusen said the plant employs about 190 people and will grow to 215.
The nearly 50,000-square-foot addition at 14 Allen Ave. in the Southwest Industrial Park can expand northward on the 20-acre site to accommodate three additional production lines, bringing the total to five.
The high-tech equipment and processes in the new facility are proprietary, which makes Voltek a leader in the industry, company officials said.
Beckhusen said people around the county thought Voltek was just the “floaty mat company” that made foam mats for lakes, before their shift to more advanced foam applications.
He said the new facility focuses on high-end foam applications, allowing Voltek to enter key markets and attract new customers and uses for its products.
“You see this product in almost everything you touch,” Beckhusen said.
Voltek now produces high-end, precision foam products—not just insulation, but specialized materials for medical tape, window glazing, automotive gasketing, and interior trim.
Other companies use Voltek foam for products such as pads that attach EKG leads for heart monitoring.
Despite broader economic concerns, Beckhusen said Voltek remains strong by serving diverse industries and weathering downturns.
Voltek’s local operation began in 1974, when the Coldwater plant opened to complement its sister facility in Lawrence, Massachusetts, which began production in 1969.
In 2016, Sekisui Voltek consolidated the two plants, closed the Massachusetts facility, and moved its headquarters to Coldwater.
Since then, the company has steadily invested in Branch County, adding a research and development center, a new quality facility, and now its latest expansion, Project Endeavor.
Mayor Tom Kramer said, “A healthy community has good schools, government, recreation, and people. But those qualities don’t create a healthy community without good jobs like those at Voltek.”
Now that construction is complete, the company will benefit from a 12-year, 50% tax abatement awarded when the project was announced in 2022.
“Sekisui Voltek has contributed to this community’s success,” Kramer said.
The new plant will supply Schmidt Foam, which was attracted to Coldwater to use Voltek’s scrap materials for manufacturing underlayment for sports turf fields and trails.
Beckhusen said Voltek is committed to reducing landfill waste and finding ways to recycle foam products.
Brenda Stewart of the Michigan Economic Development Council said, “We are sending a signal to the world that Coldwater is a major hub for small businesses and global companies alike.”
Representatives from Sekisui’s parent company in Japan attended the ribbon-cutting.
Contact Don Reid, dReid@USATodayCo.Com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Voltek opens its new $39 million precision foam expansion
Reporting by Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter / Coldwater Daily Reporter
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