Chicago Company Invests $500,000, Brings Jobs to Walker

    The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the City of Walker, announced Chicago-based General Truck Parts & Equipment will open its first operation in Michigan.

    The company will be located at 2686 3 Mile Road in Walker. In addition, the new operation will bring 7-10 new jobs to the area in the next three years and invest over $500,000 to launch the new operation.

    Founded in 1970, General Truck Parts provides new and remanufactured truck parts, serving the truck parts and equipment industry for on-and off-highway, industrial, agricultural, construction, mining, logging and light, medium and heavy-duty trucks. General Truck Parts also has six other operations located in Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Nashville, Portland, Maine and Rochester, N.Y.

    “We knew we could improve service and delivery times with a new operation in Michigan,” said Eric Sjoredsma, Grand Rapids general sales manager, who oversaw the selection and construction of the new operation in Walker. “We contacted The Right Place and they assisted us in identifying potential locations and connected us to key people to help us open our first operation in Michigan.”  

    Although there were delays in construction due to the COVID crisis, General Truck Parts & Equipment plans to open their new storefront, warehouse and remanufacturing facility July 1.

    Brands available through General Truck Parts include Oshkosh, Eaton/Fuller, Navistar, Rockwell, Meritor, Kessler, ZF, Spicer, Tractech, Borg-Warner, GMC, Mack, Allison, Spicer, Clark-Hurth, New Venture, TTC, Fabco, Muncie, Axletech, SAF- Holland and many more.

    “The decision to expand in West Michigan reaffirms the region as a place companies can locate to access markets across the entire state,” said Brent Case, vice president of business attraction for The Right Place and project lead. “Companies located in Chicago and neighboring states recognize the affordability and many other benefits of expanding in West Michigan and we’re pleased to assist in projects like these.”

    Darrel Schmalzel, the city manager of Walker, said he was looking forward to the company’s first Michigan operation opening.

    “We are pleased to welcome General Truck Parts & Equipment to Walker,” Schmalzel said. “We are confident their new location will provide them the opportunity to serve their Michigan clients more effectively.”

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    Brad Kadrich
    Brad Kadrich is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience, most recently as an editor/content coach for the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers and Hometown Life, managing 10 newspapers in Wayne and Oakland counties. He was born in Detroit, grew up in Warren and spent 15 years in the U.S. Air Force, primarily producing base newspapers and running media and community relations operations.