News & Announcements
Stay up to date with all the latest news, announcements and special events from Battle Creek Unlimited.
Company Spotlight : Prairie Farms Dairy
Introducing our June Company Spotlight - Prairie Farms Dairy! Prairie Farms is a cooperative owned by over 600 farming families, dedicated to fresh products, sustainability, and animal care since 1938. Their offerings undergo rigorous quality control and are free from antibiotics and artificial growth hormones. The Prairie Farms Dairy's Battle Creek facility, situated at 126 Brady Road, is a significant operation within this farmer-owned cooperative, and was established in the Fort Custer Industrial Park in 2003. This plant processes millions of pounds of milk weekly, sourced from 11 local dairy farms, and produces a diverse range of milk products ...
DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek Wins Hilton’s 2024 Americas Development Award
PRESS RELEASE DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek Wins Hilton’s 2024 Americas Development Award 06/12/2025 BATTLE CREEK, MICH – The DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek has been honored with the 2024 Hilton Americas Development Award. This accolade celebrates the achievements of owners, development partners, and hotel teams in various categories throughout the Americas, and serves to highlight the dedication and innovative spirit of Hilton's owners and team members, who truly embody the meaning of hospitality. Over the course of the 2024 year, Hilton opened over 400 hotels in the Americas across their brand portfolio. Among these hotels, 49 winners were selected ...
BCU’s Newsletter Spring 2025
BCU is pleased to share its Spring 2025 Quarterly Newsletter This edition includes: From the President's Desk; DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek Honored with Hilton Award; GVSU Shows Off Battle Creek Innovation Hub; DENSO Named a Gold-Level Veteran-Friendly Employer; Kalamazoo River Project Survey; ....plus other news and information. The newsletter is available to view as a PDF Our goal is to provide useful information to people who live and/or work in Battle Creek. We welcome your feedback and story ideas. Email your comments to BCUNewsletter@bcunlimited.org. You can also follow BCU on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. ...
Company Spotlight : Gallagher Uniform
We're excited to kick off our Company Spotlight series with Gallagher Uniform. Founded in 1893 in Detroit as “Detroit Waste Works, Inc.,” Gallagher Uniform opened a second plant in Battle Creek in 1937 to service Kellogg Company uniforms. While Detroit remained the primary location until 1975, Battle Creek became Gallagher’s official home after the Detroit operation was sold. Since then, their focus on customer satisfaction, personalized service, and a wide selection of workwear has earned them a trusted name in the industry for over 130 years. Now five generations strong, this family-owned business provides custom uniforms, safety apparel, corporate wear, and ...
Bay Logistics Opens Distribution Center in Fort Custer
Supply chain management firm Bay Logistics has established a new distribution center in Battle Creek. The company, which provides warehousing and 3rd-party logistics services, recently acquired the property at 300 Fritz Keiper Blvd. in the Fort Custer Industrial Park. The 107,560-square foot property sits on 13.8 acres. It was originally occupied by Koyo Corporation of Japan, which began operations in 1989. Most recently, the facility housed DENSO Air Systems. The facility has state-of-the-art technology and has ample storage space, allowing for the efficient handling of a diverse range of products. The facility is climate controlled, has multiple exterior and interior ...
Clark Logic Acquires Fort Custer Warehouse Property
Congratulations to Clark Logic, which recently acquired the building at the corner of Fritz Keiper Blvd and Denso Road in the Fort Custer Industrial Park. Built in 1998, the 96,000-square foot industrial property is situated on 5 acres. The building was previously occupied by Toyota Tsusho. Clark Logic, based in Portage, Michigan, provides warehousing, distribution, and fulfillment services to a wide variety of regional clients. This is the company’s second property in the Fort Custer Industrial Park. Clark Logic acquired the 90,000-square foot facility at 5251 Wayne Road in late 2023. The new building gives them expanded capacity to meet the ...
BCU President & CEO Named One of 2024 Newsmakers of the Year by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Joe Sobieralski, President & CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU), was recently recognized by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business as the top Newsmakers of the Year in the Hospitality category. Mr. Sobieralski was singled out for his leadership on the redevelopment of the DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek. Mr. Sobieralski joined newsmaker award recipients across sixteen categories, each with three finalists. More than 350 business leaders gathered at Amway Grand Plaza hotel on Thursday, March 6 for the awards ceremony which recognized West Michigan executives behind the biggest headlines in 2024 as chosen by the Crain’s editorial staff ...
BCU’s Newsletter Winter 2025
BCU is pleased to share its Winter 2025 Quarterly Newsletter This edition includes: From the President's Desk; New Junkers Aircraft Factory Announced for Battle Creek; BCU President & CEO Joe Sobieralski Named 2024 Newsmaker; KCC, WMU Receive $4.7 Million for EV Training Initiative; Battle Creek Named 2024 eCities Honored Community; ....plus other news and information. The newsletter is available to view as a PDF Our goal is to provide useful information to people who live and/or work in Battle Creek. We welcome your feedback and story ideas. Email your comments to BCUNewsletter@bcunlimited.org. You can also follow BCU on Twitter, Facebook, ...

DIMOR Group Plans New JUNKERS Factory in Battle Creek, Michigan
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 20, 2025 BATTLE CREEK, Mich. – Led by passionate aviator and chairman Dieter Morszeck, DIMOR Group will invest an additional $12M into the WACO Aircraft Corporation’s campus to build a brand-new JUNKERS Aircraft factory in Battle Creek, Michigan. This investment reinforces the DIMOR Group’s commitment to the region’s economic development and the U.S. production of its handcrafted, open-cockpit airplanes and the nearly $30M DIMOR Group previously invested in the campus to date. Preparatory work at the Battle Creek Executive Airport site is underway with the 45,000 square-foot addition expected to be completed this August. The ...
BCU’s Newsletter Fall 2024
BCU is pleased to share its Fall 2024 Quarterly Newsletter This edition includes: From the President's Desk; DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek Opens to Great Fanfare; Musashi Energy Solutions Expands Footprint in Battle Creek; Battle Creek Hosts Michigan Women's Commission; Battle Creek Picked for Community Development Fellowship; ....plus other news and information. The newsletter is available to view as a PDF Our goal is to provide useful information to people who live and/or work in Battle Creek. We welcome your feedback and story ideas. Email your comments to BCUNewsletter@bcunlimited.org. You can also follow BCU on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. ...
Musashi Energy Solutions Expands Footprint in Battle Creek with Ribbon-Cutting to Showcase Major Facility Upgrades
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BATTLE CREEK, Mich., –– Musashi Energy Solutions (MES), a leading innovator in energy storage technologies, celebrated the grand opening of its expanded Battle Creek facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 8, 2024. Held at the company’s Brydges Drive location, the event marks the completion of a significant renovation to accommodate new capabilities in the design, testing, and manufacturing of Hybrid SuperCapacitors (HSCs), a critical component in the company’s cutting-edge energy storage solutions. The event brought together several distinguished guests, including Yusuke Shindo, Consul General of Japan in Detroit; Joe Sobieralski, President and CEO of Battle Creek ...
Battle Creek celebrates opening of $75M hotel replacing McCamly Plaza
https://wwmt.com/news/local/battle-creek-celebrates-opening-of-newly-renovated-hotel-replacing-mccamly-plaza-double-tree-hilton-hotel-kellogg-arena WWMT News Channel 3 October 18, 2024 BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — A $75 million project years in the making has officially opened in Battle Creek. On Friday, October 18, community members celebrated the grand opening of Doubletree by Hilton, formerly known as the McCamly Plaza Hotel. "This is a gathering spot, a show piece, and [a point of] pride for the community to bring it to fruition and share it with not only the [Battle Creek] community but the outside community to come and take a new look at Battle Creek," Battle Creek Unlimited CEO Joe Sobieralski said. The ...
BCU Adopts New Strategic Plan for Economic Development in Battle Creek
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BCU Adopts New Strategic Plan for Economic Development in Battle Creek The plan identifies key growth sectors and prioritizes community development. Battle Creek, Michigan – The Board of Directors for Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) approved a new strategic plan for the organization at their August meeting. The plan aims to strengthen Battle Creek’s economy and improve the city’s vibrancy. The plan identifies three primary growth sectors: Energy, Food & Beverage, and Aviation & Defense. Notably, it expands BCU’s scope to include more community development, as opposed to BCU’s historical focus on attracting industrial investment and creating manufacturing ...
BCU’s Newsletter Summer 2024
BCU is pleased to share its Summer 2024 Quarterly Newsletter This edition includes: From the President's Desk; BCU Adopts New Strategic Plan; W.K. Kellogg Foundation Awards GVSU $10.3 Million Grant; WMU College of Aviation Launches Drone Certificate Program; Burma Center Hosts Grant Award Ceremony; ....plus other news and information. The newsletter is available to view as a PDF Our goal is to provide useful information to people who live and/or work in Battle Creek. We welcome your feedback and story ideas. Email your comments to BCUNewsletter@bcunlimited.org. You can also follow BCU on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. ...
BCU Congratulates Grand Valley State University on its $10.3 Million Grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 6, 2024 GVSU will move to a building owned by BCU and expand programming in Battle Creek. BATTLE CREEK, MICH - Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) congratulates Grand Valley State University (GVSU) on the $10.3 million grant award from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), announced on June 3, 2024. The funds will be used to expand GVSU’s activities in downtown Battle Creek, which will include new educational programming and community outreach. GVSU will utilize the Kendall Center, which BCU acquired in July 2022. This announcement builds on a 2019 grant from WKKF to GVSU, which provided $15.5 ...
GVSU expands programming in Battle Creek with $10 million grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 3, 2024 Contact: Michele Coffill, GVSU University Communications coffillm@gvsu.edu (616) 331-2221 GVSU expands programming in Battle Creek with $10 million grant from W.K. Kellogg Foundation Media note: photos can be downloaded via https://gvsu.edu/s/2Jx BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Grand Valley State University received a three-year, $10.3 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to expand the university’s community outreach and educational opportunities in Battle Creek, which includes renovating the Kendall Center to accommodate new programs. The grant enables Grand Valley to serve Battle Creek area residents through three main areas: increasing access to GVSU degrees and ...
BCU’s Newsletter Spring 2024
BCU is pleased to share its Spring 2024 Quarterly Newsletter This edition includes: From the President's Desk; Battle Creek Named a Top Tier-3 Metro by Site Selection Magazine; BCU Receives 2024 Mac Conway Award for Excellence; Battle Creek Welcomes Americas Competitiveness Exchange Tour; Michigan Announces New Office of Defense and Aerospace Innovation; ....plus other news and information. The newsletter is available to view as a PDF Our goal is to provide useful information to people who live and/or work in Battle Creek. We welcome your feedback and story ideas. Email your comments to BCUNewsletter@bcunlimited.org. You can also follow BCU on ...
Rising tide of optimism eddies around Battle Creek River naturalization project
Article written by: Jane C. Parikh, Second Wave Southwest Michigan BATTLE CREEK, MI — Ripples of hope are being felt by an organization that has been working since 2014 to naturalize a portion of the Kalamazoo River in the city’s downtown. In late April, Battle Creek Unlimited issued a press release about the city’s acquisition of buildings that formerly housed Ralston/TreeHouse and Graphic Packaging International. Members of Battle Creek Whitewater Inc., the nonprofit that wants the river restored to a natural-looking state, say they are encouraged by these latest developments. “Those acquisitions are the result of gifts made to the city by ...
Battle Creek Hosts Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) Delegation on Michigan Tour
May 9th, 2024 BATTLE CREEK, MICH – Battle Creek was host to over 70 senior-level government, business, policy, and economic leaders from 20 countries as part of this year’s Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) tour of Michigan. The delegation toured two locations, considered among Michigan’s best of the best in Southeast and Southwest Michigan: WK Kellogg Co and Duncan Aviation. Each company showcased Battle Creek’s penchant for innovation and our continuous growth in key industries. Both WK Kellogg Co and Duncan Aviation have made significant investment into the Battle Creek community in the past year. For their first tour, delegates were ...
Battle Creek Unlimited Receives 2024 Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development
BATTLE CREEK, MICH – Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU), has been awarded a 2024 Mac Conway Award for Excellence in Economic Development by Site Selection Magazine. The award is named for Conway Data founder Mac Conway was created to “recognize the efforts of those who worked tirelessly to bring projects large and small to their communities.” Economic development organizations who receive the award are being recognized for their diligence in attracting new projects of all sizes to their communities for the greater good of the entire region. Organizations were determined by an index of corporate facility investment according to Site Selection ...