Shape Corp. Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation and Excellence in the Automotive Industry
Shape Corp., a global tier-1 automotive supplier known for its innovative approach in the development of body-in-white and structural components, is proud to announce its year-long celebration in honor of the company’s 50th anniversary. Themed “Founding 50 to Future 50,” the celebration not only pays tribute to the Shape’s rich history and purpose of shaping […]
Shape Corp. Launches 2023 Sustainability Report: Driving Toward a Sustainable Future
Shape Corp. is proud to present our 2023 Sustainability Report, a reflection of our deep commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and ethical governance. This year’s report is not just a summary of our past achievements but a blueprint for our journey towards a sustainable and responsible future. To read the Shape Corp. 2023 Sustainability […]
Shape’s Advanced Bumper Technology: Elevating Vehicle Design and Crash Safety
Shape Corp. has led the way in roll forming, consistently delivering value with ultra-high-strength steel and engineered profiles. In response to our customers’ demand for tighter swept bumper beams, we’re excited to introduce our latest development—an inline variable, tight-radius sweeping technology capable of curving martensitic bumpers to meet challenging new targets. This innovation allows for […]
Shape Corp. Unveils Cutting-Edge Manufacturing Facility in Czech Republic, Adding 700 New Jobs
Shape Corp., a global leader in innovative automotive lightweighting crash management, and body structure inaugurates a state-of-the-art 36,400-square-meter manufacturing complex in Nýřany. Developed in collaboration with Panattoni, a leading real estate development company, the cutting-edge facility revitalizes a former brownfield site and marks Shape Corp.’s decade-long journey in the Czech Republic, further solidifying its role […]
Shape Corp. Appoints Dave Guaresimo as New Chief Operating Officer
Shape Corp. is pleased to announce the appointment of Dave Guaresimo as the company’s new Chief Operating Officer. Guaresimo, a seasoned automotive industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience, brings a wealth of knowledge, deep industry insights, and a people-first leadership style to his new role. Born and raised in Michigan, Guaresimo’s passion […]
SHAPE CORP. CELEBRATES GRAND OPENING OF STATE-OF-THE-ART ALUMINUM FACILITY IN TRENTON, OH
Trenton, OH – June 28, 2023 – Shape Corp., a global leader of innovative automotive lightweighting crash management and body structure solutions, announced the grand opening of its cutting-edge aluminum facility in Trenton, Ohio on Thursday, June 22. This grand opening marked a crucial milestone in Shape’s ongoing expansion strategy and displays its commitment to […]
Shape Corp. Announces World’s First Roll Formed Martensitic Steel Bumper Made with SSAB’s Fossil-Free Steel
Shape Corp., a global tier-1 supplier and leader in engineering and manufacturing, has announced the world’s first roll formed, production intent martensitic steel bumper made with SSAB’s groundbreaking fossil-free steel material utilizing HYBRIT technology. Shape is the first automotive company to collaborate with SSAB in utilizing this cutting-edge, sustainable material in the development of this […]
Shape Boosts Employee Wellbeing with Total Wellbeing Center
Since the opening of the onsite gym, the Fitness Factory, in 1993, wellbeing has been a central part of the company culture at Shape Corp. Over the last 30 years, the company has continued to prioritize employee wellbeing, and has recently taken its commitment to the next level with the opening of the Total Wellbeing […]
Shaping Technology: Engineering Solutions for our Electrified Future
At the start of 2022, President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law rallied the automotive manufacturers in America on a path forward with a target for 50% of electric vehicle (EV) sale shares in the U.S. by 2030. With this intensified shift towards EV production, OEMs are tasked with not only moving to a completely new powertrain, […]
Shape Corp. Launches Inaugural Sustainability Report Highlighting Progress Towards Building a More Sustainable Future
We are proud to reveal our first annual sustainability report marking a key milestone for Shape Corp. by showcasing our progress and future vision for a more sustainable future. We’ve worked to nest our commitment to sustainability into strategic areas of focus we anticipate will assist in benefitting our planet, team members, customers, industry and […]
GVSU names facility for Shape Corp. to celebrate longtime commitment to engineering students
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Valley State University celebrated Shape Corp.’s lead gift and its longstanding commitment to engineering students by naming its Innovation Design Center for the tier-one automotive supplier. The recent gift from Shape Corp. will establish a significant endowment for the Padnos College of Engineering and Computing to promote innovation and meet […]
Shape and SSAB Announce Partnership on Fossil-Free Steel for Automotive Applications
GRAND HAVEN, MI: Shape Corp. will be the first tier-one automotive supplier to market with fossil-free steel crash management and body structure systems under a new agreement with SSAB, a leading producer of advanced high strength steel (AHSS). Shape will be testing SSAB’s fossil-free steel, the first steel product made of hydrogen-reduced sponge iron utilizing […]
Shape Corp and Hydro Aluminium Metal enter partnership to develop automotive products utilizing 75% recycled aluminum scrap
Shape Corp., a global tier-one automotive supplier of multi-material impact energy management and lightweight body structures, has entered into an agreement with Hydro, a leading producer of aluminum and renewable energy, to be the first to explore and bring to the US market, automotive components utilizing Hydro CIRCAL®, containing a minimum of 75% post-consumer aluminum […]
Toyota Excellent Quality Award for Shape Corp.
The TMNA R&D Purchasing Supplier Development’s Virtual Annual Business Meeting and Award Ceremony was celebrated last April 7th where Toyota awarded Shape Corp. with the Supplier Excellent Quality Award based on Shape’s 2021 performance. Mr. Robert Young, group vice president and Riichiro Nagaoka, vice president, TMNA R&D purchasing supplier development shared an appreciation letter for […]
GM Certificate of Excellence – Platinum Supplier Status
We are honored to announce that Shape Corp Mexico and Shape Corp China, Kunshan, have been recognized as Platinum Suppliers for Customer Care and Aftersales On-Time Shipping by our customer GM, who granted them the GM Certificate of Excellence Award for 2021. Your organization has played an important role in our efforts to design, build […]
General Motors Names Shape Corp. a 2021 Supplier of the Year
Grand Haven, MI – General Motors recognized Shape Corp. as a 2021 Supplier of the Year. GM celebrated honorees at its 30th annual Supplier of the Year awards ceremony in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this week. GM’s Supplier of the Year award recognizes global suppliers that distinguish themselves by exceeding GM’s requirements, in turn providing GM […]
Distinction of Sanitary Security: Shape Mexico
Expert IMSS (Mexican Institute of Social Security) personnel visited Shape Corp. Mexico to verify that their sanitary COVID-19 pandemic protocols were adequate and carried out in the correct way, in addition to reviewing the pertinent documentation. The result of the evaluation was approved and very satisfactory; therefor they were awarded with a recognition by this […]
Best Employer of Wellbeing & Benefits: Shape China
Shape China won the Greater Suzhou Employer Award! It is outstanding for the way Shape cares about the benefits and wellbeing of its team members. This award demonstrates that the people are the most important element for the company and that our core values are lived and recognized worldwide. Congratulations to Shape China and its […]
GM Places First at EuroCarBody 2021 for 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8
During the 2021 EuroCarBody Awards Ceremony, General Motors placed first in the premium segment for their production of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8. As you may know Shape played a pivotal role in the development of the Corvette with engineering and manufacturing the automotive industry’s first curved, multi-hollow pultruded carbon fiber bumper beam for this […]
Shape Corp. Announces NEW Chief Technology Officer
Shape Corp. a global tier-one automotive supplier is strengthening its leadership team by bringing on Ed Pleet as Shape’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO). With more than 24 years of dynamic engineering and leadership experience within the industry, this new addition to the Shape Family will bring a wealth of experience and innovation to Shape. “I […]
Shape Corp. Breaks Ground on NEW Aluminum Center of Excellence
On Thursday, July 15, Shape Corp. held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new Aluminum Center of Excellence in Trenton, Ohio. The 322,000-sq.-ft facility will allow the company to expand its manufacturing and research capabilities of tight tolerance aluminum extrusions and assemblies while creating more than 170 new jobs in the area. “Building the Aluminum Center […]
The Coaching Ripple Effect: Global Leader Featured in Podcast
Shape’s commitment to developing our team members not only creates a ripple effect for our organization, but for our communities we serve. As one of our core values, development is embedded into our daily work and experiences. Beyond the daily experiences, Shape continues to identify and implement growth programs for our team members, including metaperformance […]
Shape Earns GM Supplier Excellence Awards
Congratulations to two of Shape’s global facilities, Athens, AL and Kunshan, China, in receiving GM’s Supplier Quality Excellence Award. Every supplier must go through a strict review, which contains many specific requirements to get this honor. Excellent quality and unparalleled customer support are the foundation established by Shape nearly 50 years ago. As a reliable […]
Summer Interns Participate in Safety Training
This week, the Shape training department led a special, hands-on training session at 1825i for the U.S. Division’s summer interns. Jarrod Chyrowski, technical trainer, led 12 interns in technical lessons in the areas of mig welding, tig welding, cutting torches and hilo training. Each lesson started with 3 hours of classroom instruction followed by real-world […]
Recognizing Juneteenth
Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is an American holiday celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery. Although the Emancipation Proclamation had formally freed slaves two and a half years prior, June 19, 1865, marks the enforcement of the Proclamation, which is when Union General Gordon Granger read federal orders in […]
Celebrating Pride Month
The month of June brings many things: warm summer weather, the end of the school year and maybe a relaxing vacation. In the United States, June is also LGBTQ+ Pride Month. This is a time when LGBTQ+ people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other gender or sexual minorities) celebrate their identities and advocate for […]
Shape Guangzhou Earns GTMC Quality Award
Shape’s Guangzhou facility earned the 2020 Quality Cooperation Award at the 15th GTMC Supplier Conference. This is the third consecutive time that Shape Guangzhou has won this award. Toyota’s stringent quality assessment, including multiple specific requirements in various aspects makes it very difficult to win this award. This victory fully demonstrates the Guangzhou team’s unanimous […]
Shape Czech Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Shape Czech is celebrating an important anniversary–10 years since the establishment of the Pilsen plant. “It is hard to believe that 10 years ago there was only a hand full of our team members working in one little office with an empty shop floor and an empty parking lot,” reflects Shape President and CEO, Mark […]
Shape China wins 2020 China Employee Relationship Management Practice Model Enterprise
The world changed dramatically in 2020, and previously stable relationships and structures are facing an unprecedented reshuffle. But at the end of the year, the 14th China Labor Law and Employee Relations Summit Forum was held as scheduled. In this year’s forum, Shape China was honored to be one of the Top 10 Employee Relationship […]
President and CEO Mark White Speaks in Lansing on COVID-19 Pandemic
On Wednesday, September 2, 2020, president and CEO Mark White presented in front of the Joint Select Committee in Lansing to provide testimony on the issues and concerns surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic. White used this time to highlight the top priorities of Shape Corp. during this unprecedented time including support for its people, their families […]
Shape Mexico Wins Ford Q1 Award
On July 17, 2020, the “Q1 Award” ceremony was held for Shape Corp. México. This recognition, one of the most prestigious in the automotive industry awarded by Ford Motor Company, certifies excellence in quality management and logistics of the Hermosillo plant. The delivery of the recognition was in charge of Cipriano Oba, STA Site Manager […]
General Motors Honors Shape Corp. as Winner of Coveted Supplier Innovation Award
Grand Haven, MI – Shape Corp. was named a GM Innovation Award winner during a virtual ceremony to celebrate the recipients of General Motors’ 28th annual Supplier of the Year awards on Wednesday, June 24. GM’s Innovation Award recognizes the top suppliers among thousands of global contenders that introduced innovations that deliver cutting-edge technologies that substantially […]
SHAPE CORP. WINS INNOVATION PARTNERSHIP AWARD FOR COLLABORATION ON CARBON FIBER BUMPER BEAM
Shape Corp., a tier one automotive supplier was awarded a 2020 Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Supplier’s Contribution to Excellence) Innovation Partnership Award in conjunction with General Motors for their collaboration in engineering and manufacturing the automotive industry’s first curved, multi-hollow pultruded carbon fiber bumper beam for the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The Innovation Partnership […]
Shape Corp. wins Swedish Steel Prize 2019
Shape Corp. is the winner of the 20th international Swedish Steel Prize The prize is awarded for the groundbreaking use of martensitic steel in a 3D formed tube for automotive roof rail applications. “With great skill, Shape Corp. has shown the way forward and has succeeded in efficiently utilizing a modern material with the highest possible strength […]
Shape Corp. wins at 2019 SPE® Automotive Innovation Awards
On Wednesday, November 6, 2019, Shape, along with representatives from General Motors, accepted an award for the auto industry’s first curved pultruded composite bumper beam for the rear of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette at the 49th annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, at the Burton Manor in Livonia, Michigan. Years of effort from multiple teams culminated […]
Matt Makes Dreams Come True
Matt Luna has had a passion for racing motorcycles since he was about five years old. Mini bikes, motorcycles—you name it. “My dad wouldn’t let me race until I was out of the house and as soon as I was out, I started racing,” Matt said. “I went pro in my 30s. I would travel […]
SHAPE CORP. Produces Industry-First Carbon Fiber Bumper For 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Shape Corp. engineered and manufactured the automotive industry’s first curved, multi-hollow pultruded carbon fiber bumper beam for the newly unveiled 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The bumper’s superior properties produce a very light weight component, which contributes to protecting the rear and expanded trunk. “As we strengthen our technology profile, the addition of carbon fiber […]
Shape Corp. Adds New Vice President of Global Sales
Shape Corp. is excited to introduce and welcome Meredith Glass as the organization’s new Vice President of Global Sales. In this role, Glass will report directly to president and CEO Mark White, and will be joining Shape’s executive leadership council. Glass joins Shape from Schaeffler, a global automotive and industrial supplier, where she held an […]
President’s Message
On The MoveOur Next Steps To Success We are living in the most transformative time in the history of the automotive and transportation industry. The realization of autonomous driving technology, electric and hybrid powertrains, connected cars and ride sharing are all drastically changing the landscape for our customers and the automotive supplier community. Everyone is […]
Shape Appoints New Chief Operations Officer
Shape Corp. is pleased to introduce and welcome Jonathan Gregory as the company’s new chief operations officer. In this new role, Gregory will report directly to president Mark White. Gregory joins Shape from Faurecia, where he served as the global vice president of operations, quality and HSE. While at Faurecia, he led global operations teams […]
Shape Welcomes New Executive Leader
Shape Corp. is excited to introduce and welcome Randy Pappal as the company’s vice president of global purchasing-supply chain and business development. In this new role, Pappal will report directly to president Mark White and will join Shape’s executive leadership council. Pappal comes to Shape from General Motors Corp., where he held a variety of […]
Pultrusion Picks Up Speed in Automotive Applications
Pultrusion is one of the most cost-effective processes for manufacturing high-volume composite parts. Recently Composites World featured Shape Corp’s recent composites advancements as an example of the growth composites are experiencing in the automotive market place. To read the full article click here.
Outstanding Quality Recognized by the FCA
Shape has been awarded the Outstanding Quality Performance Award from FCA for both our Comstock and 172nd plants. FCA awarded us for both our bumper commodity as well as our plastics commodity. This award is given out to few suppliers; an accomplishment we are very proud of. “It’s really an exciting time at the Comstock […]
Congratulations Shape! 2018 SPE® Automotive Innovation Awards “Hall Of Fame” Winner’
On Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Shape, along with representatives from Honda R&D Americas and SABIC, accepted an award on behalf of the original team that worked to develop the first injection molded thermoplastic (PC/PBT) energy absorber for a vehicle bumper system on the 2003 Honda Element at the 48th annual SPE Automotive Innovation Awards Gala, […]
Shape All Stars: Shape China gets a Big Win for Quality
Shape China was awarded the General Motors Supplier Quality Excellence Award for the 2017 calendar year. This marks the sixth year that Global Supplier Quality & Development will be receiving this prestigious recognition award. The award is given to specific manufacturing locations and only our top performing supplier manufacturing sites are eligible to receive it. […]
Bringing Dreams, and Robots, to Life!
The Shape Family is helping dreams and robots come to life! The Grand Haven High School robotics team “Bucs N’ Gears” finished 5th in the qualifying rounds at Grand Valley State University. They were eliminated in the quarter finals but are still hopeful they will make it to the state championships at Saginaw Valley State. […]
Shape Recognized for Thinking Out of the Box!
The Greater Ottawa County United Way wrapped up their annual community campaign at the LIVE UNITED celebration event at the end of March. During the event, Shape was recognized by United Way for our large contribution to our community. United Way awarded Shape, the “Out of the Box Award” which is given to the organization […]
Shape Sponsors #TuesdaysInThePark
The Shape Family is the stage sponsor for this summer’s Tuesdays in the Park. 92.1 WGHN hosts this exciting summer concert series every summer. To kick off the first week, they are welcoming back Chris Wiser & Andy Frisinger on Tuesday, June 19th at the Grand Haven Central Park. Each concert is a FREE event! Grand […]
Shape Czech Awarded Best Employer
We are incredibly proud to announce that the Shape Czech was named Employer of the Year for the fifth year in a row. Shape has consistently made the top five best employers in the country; however, this year Shape was named the third best company in the Czech Republic, even beating out companies like Microsoft. […]
Shape 172 Prepares for Driestern Mill
Some impressive new technology is coming to Shape’s 172nd facility, and it has got our team members excited. The plant is currently prepping a site for the new Driestern mill that will be shipped in all the way from Germany. Team members broke ground on May 21st to prepare for the addition of roll 117. This […]
Shape’s Second Annual Supplier Innovation Day
On Thursday, May 24, Shape’s Taft location hosted a buzz of men and women from around the globe. Our second annual Supplier Innovation Day brought together innovators from far and wide to meet and discuss the importance of innovation in the industry. In attendance were the following suppliers: Arconic Ortic SGL CAM Logic HyCal Hyrdo […]
Shape And Ridgeview Industries Strengthen Partnership
Shape Corp. announced Thursday that the company signed a letter of intent with West Michigan metal stampings and assembly manufacturer, Ridgeview Industries, to sell certain assets related to Shape’s stampings operations located in Spring Lake, Mich. Shape and Ridgeview are continuing a strategic partnership of more than 20 years with the deal, which includes a […]
Shape Acquires Magnode
Shape Corp. announced, Monday, that the company has come to terms on a purchase agreement to acquire Ohio-based aluminum extruder, Magnode. The deal comes after a successful business relationship between that two companies that included collaboration on engineering projects, as well as shared research and development around lightweighting best practices. Shape’s global aluminum offerings are […]
Shape Makes the ACE Finals at CAMX
Shape’s innovative spirit was on display at the 2017 CAMX—the premier composites and advanced materials event and for four days the center of the composites world. Shape was in attendance as a finalist for an Award for Composite Excellence (ACE), the composite industry’s stand out award showcase. The ACE awards are an annual competition hosted by […]
Pioneering in Pultrusion
Composites Manufacturing Magazine featured some very exciting pultrusion technology Shape is licensing from Thomas Technik + Innovation. You can read more about is creation, development and wide range of applications here.
The Summer 2017 Edition of Shape on the Roll is Here
The latest edition of Shape on the Roll has been released. The Summer 2017 edition includes a message from president, Mark White, information on Shape’s new business pursuits, veteran’s programs, and the future of Shape. You can view an online version of Shape on the Roll here.
Czech Shape Named “Employer of the Year” Third Time
On Tuesday May 23, Shape Czech was recognized for the third consecutive year in the Sodexo Employer Awards. In 2015, Shape Czech was named first in the region and fifth in the state at the Sodexo awards. The following year, Shape Czech was named the 2016 Employer of the Year for the Pilsen region. The […]
Shape China awarded GM Supplier Quality Award
Shape China was awarded the General Motors Supplier Quality Excellence Award for the 2016 calendar year. This is the second time that Shape China has been recognized with this award; the previous time being in 2014. This award speaks to Shape’s strong performance from our manufacturing and quality organization and further solidifies us as a […]
Meet the THINKERS Behind Shape’s Innovation
Shape inventors were recently awarded for their brilliant innovation and constant forward-thinking. Engineers were given awards in front of leadership in late March and mid-April. Jeff Piper, vice president of strategy and innovation, described the importance of innovation and why these members deserve recognition, “These contributions to innovation are a critical part of our future […]
Shape Partners with SME’s PRIME Program
Shape’s new partnership with the Society of Manufacturing Engineer’s PRIME program and Grand Haven High School has been making headlines all across West Michigan. Last Monday, June 19, Shape announced alongside Grand Haven Area Public Schools, the Michigan Manufacturers Association, their collaboration through SME’s Partnership Response in Manufacturing Education (PRIME). The PRIME initiative will instill […]
Shape Teams Up with Honda and St. Patricks
Honda North America partnered with more than 20,000 volunteers in over 43 states, as well as Canada and Mexico, to volunteer during their second annual Week of Services. From June 9 to 18, Shape and others dealers and suppliers participated in new or existing volunteer services of their own choosing within their communities. Shape chose […]
Shape featured in Composites World Magazine
Shape’s bright future and the innovative radius-pultrusion system are featured in the June edition of Composites World, the world’s leading composites publication. The center fold article profiles Thomas Technik’s curved pultrusion process and features details regarding Shape licensing the technology for use in the automotive industry. While a number of licensees were highlighted in the […]
Shape Helps Build New Playground
As part of the Shape tradition of giving back, members of the Shape Family volunteered to aid in the restoration of Whistle Stop Park by installing new play structure equipment. Due to its wear and tear, the old playground at Whistle Stop Park was removed. After the playground’s removal, a community engagement meeting was held […]
Czech Shape Named “Employer of the Year” Third Time
On Tuesday May 23, Shape Czech was recognized for the third consecutive year in the Sodexo Employer Awards. In 2015, Shape Czech was named first in the region and fifth in the state at the Sodexo awards. The following year, Shape Czech was named the 2016 Employer of the Year for the Pilsen region. The […]
Auto Magazine Commends Shape’s Balance of Innovation and Customer Support
Due to our impressive innovation and growing global footprint, Shape was recently featured in the April issue of Automotive Purchasing and Supply Chain Magazine, an automotive magazine produced in the United Kingdom. The magazine is known for its unique interviews with executives from many of the major international car manufacturers, suppliers and more. Shape’s president, […]
Shape Named Best Manufacturing Employer
Thanks to votes from our team members and community, Shape was voted the Best Manufacturing Company to Work For in the 2017 Grand Haven Tribune People’s Choice awards. After a month-long nomination process, the top five nominees are presented and move on to the voting stage. There were more than 100 categories for people to vote on. […]
Grand Opening in Guangzou
The celebration was one for the books. The greatly anticipated Shape Guangzhou grand opening ceremony took place on Tuesday, February 21. This was an incredible milestone for Shape and the event was a huge success. Around 70 people attended the event from Shape US, Shape China, our customers DFL, NCIC and Toyota, and local government in […]
Shape China Earns Government Award
With the pace of industry changes and improvements occurring in Kunshan, the local government recognized 10 companies who contributed to technological transformation and upgrades. Shape is one of the companies to receive the honorable award. Shape’s investments in robot welding to increase productivity was one of the key areas that aligned with the needs of […]
Shape Wows at BAMA Bi-annual Conference
The Bluegrass Automotive Manufacturing Association (BAMA) bi-annual Learning Conference brought together executive level leaders from numerous tier-one Toyota suppliers. The conference highlights each region’s development and training packages over the last two years. Organizations can then adopt the new content, share it within their organizations and leverage the learnings to help to build momentum. Daric […]
Shape Explores SME PRIME Lab
We came. We saw. We benchmarked. On Monday February 6, Doug Peterson, vice president of human resources; Julie Davidson, talent acquisition,, manager; Mike Johnston, vice president of government affairs for the Michigan Manufacturing Association; Mike Roberson, assistant principle at Grand Haven High School, and Jeremy Case, technical education teacher at Grand Haven High School, traveled […]
Shape China Wins Training Award
After completing the challenging course design and development workshop in November, Shape China conducted delivery skills training for new trainers by master trainer Jerry Zuo. The training focused on adult learning theory, teaching skills (including verbal and non-verbal skills), as well as presentation and feedback skills to help the participants deeply understand how to be […]
Shape Achieves Veteran-Friendly Employer Status
We are pleased to announce that Shape has been selected as a Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency bronze-level status Veteran-Friendly Employer. This certification demonstrates that Shape Corp. has made a commitment to help better recognize and support veterans and the valuable skills and experiences they bring to the workplace. Thank you to all veterans who registered […]
Shape Takes Steps Toward Innovation
With the automotive industry heavily focusing on lightweighting for improving fuel economy, Shape as always, is eager to support our customers with innovative, lighter weight components. For years we’ve been developing bumper solutions that are some of the best in the industry, utilizing ultra-high strength steels, unique aluminum alloys, and patented cross section designs. Still […]
Shape Shocks Toyota at SPS Checkpoint
It is not often that Toyota finds a supplier who actively pursues their mentoring. Shape was one of the unique companies who reached out for Toyota’s support nearly 18 months ago. After a few phone conferences and a formal meeting at Shape, Toyota took the plunge to help us continue our lean journey. Through intense […]
Shape Wows Nissan at Tech Show
Last Wednesday 65 engineering and purchasing professionals attended our Tech Show at the Nissan Mexico Technical Center. Shape’s Nissan business unit intrigued the attendees with banners, videos highlighting our plastic capabilities, roll forming and pultrusion technologies, as well as a selection of parts on display. Nissan engineers and purchasing members were eager to learn more […]
SPE Innovation Award
Society of Plastics Engineer’s (SPE) Automotive Innovation Awards program is the world’s oldest and largest recognition event in the automotive and plastics industries. Each year the combined ingenuity and creativity of the automotive engineers, designers, and their suppliers yield the latest and best results of the dynamic nature of the automotive industry. Many teams submit nominations describing […]
Committed to Ethical Practices: Introducing Ethics Point
Shape is committed to conducting business in accordance with the highest ethical standards. As an organization, we hold high expectations for ourselves, as do our customers, communities and team members. We hold an open door policy, and want to ensure that there are appropriate channels available for our team members, suppliers and customers to securely, […]
Hard Work and Dedication Earn 1835 and 1820 Honorable Award
They came into work each day producing quality parts, solving problems and never missing a shipment. Last week the team members at 1835 and 1820 celebrated after receiving the General Motors (GM) Supplier Quality Excellence Award. With hard work and determination, these teams each earned the recognition that is limited to GM’s top 2.5% of […]
Talking Talent at #MfgTalentSummit
Across the country, the unemployment rate is at 4.9%. In the state of Michigan it’s at 3.7% and Ottawa County sits at bottom with 3.1% – the lowest in the state. Low unemployment rates, as we know, makes it very challenging to recruit talent for a growing company. Impressed with our recent recruitment efforts in […]
Inspiration from U of M: Autonomous Vehicles, Robots and Engineering Students
Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career opportunities are on the rise, while the qualified workforce is projected to decline. Last week a team visited the University of Michigan to explore the different options to partner with the elite university and tap into the talent of the next generation of workers. Gary Verplank, CEO, Jeff […]
Becoming a Strategic Partner with Toyota
Open. Honest. Humble. Transparent. “We’ve only strengthened Toyota’s opinion of us as a strategic partner,” said Daric Morell, director of manufacturing, as he talked about his recent presentation at Toyota’s Fall Supplier Event. “Our philosophies regarding people, production and products align closely.” After impressing attendees and Toyota at Bluegrass Automotive Manufactures Association’s (BAMA) annual conference […]
Shape Corp. Announces New President
We are pleased to announce that Mark White will take over as the company’s president, effective October 1, following the retirement of former president, Bob Currier. “I want to thank Bob for his 35 years of service to Shape. His professionalism and support has been outstanding. He will be missed, and we wish him the […]
Celebrating 4 Years Injury-Free, Tech Center
Accountability, awareness and dedication helped the Tech Center team celebrate four years of being injury-free on Saturday, September 10. This accomplish takes a lot of diligence both in the prototype shop and testing lab where many different associates and guests visit throughout the year. Wearing the correct PPE, being aware of your surroundings and being […]
Comstock Facility Goes for Gold
Congratulations Comstock Facility! In August 2016 the Shape Corp. Comstock Facility was awarded the MIOSHA Gold award from the Consultation Education and Training (CET) division. The Gold Award is the highest award in the MIOSHA CET awards. Awards are given to companies who have implemented an effective safety & health management system (SHMS), and who […]
Technology, Tesla and More: MIBiz Roundtable
Technology, autonomous vehicles, Tesla and more were brought up at MiBiz’s automotive roundtable with local executives. Read more about what Mark White, incoming Shape president, has to say about the future of the automotive industry.
Connecting with the Next Workforce: FuturePrep’D
Seven middle school students arrived at Shape last week, most unaware of what we produce, but ready to take on a challenge. FuturePrep’D is a program ran through Ottawa Area Intermediate School District, that challenges students to get out into the “real-world” and solve problems. Students from the area have the opportunity to learn more […]
Celebrating 10 Years of Giving Back at Coast Guard’s Kids Day
Shape associates headed out to the Coast Guard Festival on Tuesday, August 2 to help volunteer. The purchasing and packaging departments took the day to volunteer at Kid’s Day. This event is held every year for the children during Coast Guard week. There are games, jump houses, crafts and more – all free. It was […]
We are Thinkers, Believers and Doers
We are Thinkers. From the very beginning of Shape, we had to think outside of the box to obtain customers. We were first in the industry to utilize 1700 martensitic steel. Others said it was too strong to stamp or roll form, but we did it and continue to do it today. We are Believers. […]
Stampings Earns Distinctive Community Award
Shape’s Stampings facility includes: 110 associates, 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space, 10 stamping presses, 18 welders and produces more than 400 different parts. On June 15, they added the 2016 Business Recognition Award to their identity, in acknowledgement of having a significant impact in the Spring Lake community. “Shape is a great asset to […]
Showcasing our Innovation to the University of Michigan
We’re known for our innovation, complex designs and flawless execution. Recently, University of Michigan’s Alec Gallimore, dean of engineering, came to visit and was impressed with what we had to present. Shape’s relationship with U of M began more than 60 years ago with Midge Verplank, CEO of Verplank Trucking and co-found of Shape, completing […]
Leading the Pack: Shape China Earns Three Customer Awards
400+ suppliers. 32 recognized. 3 awards given to Shape. At Nissan China Investment Co.’s annual supplier award ceremony, Shape China walked away with three awards, more than any other supplier on April 26. • Quality Improvement • One Time Delivery • 333 Activity Improvement Associates at our China facility have greatly improved their quality by […]
Unanimous Vote: Shape is the Most Innovative
“When we put everyone on the table and asked, ‘Who was the most innovative?’ Shape was the unanimous vote”, said Jimmy Seacrist, director of quality at Futuris Automotive. We currently make seven products for Futuris, a leader in automotive seating components. These products are components to structures on Tesla’s Model X second row seating. This […]
Shape’s FuturePrep’D Students Take Home Scholarships
After 14 weeks of deep problem solving, students from Grand Haven and Spring Lake High School presented their findings at the annual FuturePrep’d Academy final event. In January, 11 students came to Shape to learn more about what we do, the manufacturing industry, and career opportunities that fit their interests. Throughout the 16 weeks, students […]
Sharing for Global Success
“There’s been so much pull from the other regions to learn about the processes,” said Jay Blanchard, continuous improvement manager. “Before the week was done, I had leaders from other regions asking when I could come to their facilities to teach more of their team members.” Eager to start learning and applying the Toyota Production […]
MIOSHA Takes Notice of Our Best Safety Practices
2015 was our safest years to date, and even MIOSHA took notice. Safety is our top priority here, and we have many resources to make sure everyone goes home in the same condition that they came into work. One of the resources we have available are GroPros, compact video cameras, used to look at issues […]
Living United: The Verplank Family
When Gary and Midge Verplank started their companies, they made a promise to give back to the community where they were founded. Over the years, Gary and Midge have helped give back to different causes in the West Michigan area, including United Way. “We are not the singular reason for the success of our companies,” […]
Leadership is Everywhere
“Leadership is right here in this room,” explained Mark White, executive vice president of Asian and European operations. “You don’t need to have direct reports to have leadership skills – you can lead yourself to success.” There are tens of thousands of books, programs, classes, articles, speeches, and videos that discuss leadership. It’s an important […]
Breaking Ground in Athens
Southern hospitality is alive and well, just ask Shape CEO Gary Verplank and President Bob Currier. Both were on-hand for Friday’s dedication ceremony in Athens, Alabama to recognize Shape’s newest manufacturing facility. Representatives with the City of Athens, Tennessee Valley Authority, Limestone County Commission, Alabama Department of Commerce, Limestone County Economic Development Association and JESCO […]
Global Leadership Development Program
Last month we achieved a Training Top 125 award, coming in at #12 on the list. People are the biggest asset to Shape and our efforts on employee development and training are a critical part to our continued success. Recently, our global training and development program was featured in Training Magazine. Read more about our Global […]