Lee Contracting to expand machining footprint in Holland

Lee Contracting will lease a 45,000-square-foot Holland facility and buy 18 BuhlerPrince machines as it grows machining capacity in western Michigan. The move adds room for larger, more complex parts and builds on the employee-owned contractor’s existing operations in Grand Blanc and Grand Rapids.

Why it matters: - Lee Contracting is adding in-house machining capacity that can handle larger parts and more complex component work. - The move gives the employee-owned contractor more space and equipment in western Michigan, where demand for industrial machining support can be spread across multiple sites. - The expansion also strengthens Lee Contracting’s position in its industrial and civil work by bringing more fabrication under one roof.

What happened: - Lee Contracting announced an agreement with BuhlerPrince to acquire much of the company’s southwest Michigan machining capabilities. - Lee will lease about 45,000 square feet at 670 Windcrest Drive in Holland, Michigan. - Lee will also purchase 18 machines that are already operating in that space. - The announcement was made Sept. 24, 2026.

The details: - The new Holland facility will complement Lee Contracting’s existing machining operations in Grand Blanc, Michigan. - Lee has operated a facility in Grand Rapids for several years. - The added equipment increases the scale of work Lee can perform in-house. - Lee said the Holland site will support larger parts and more complex component machining than the company has handled before. - Fred Cauley, Lee Contracting’s CEO, said the Holland move is the next step after the company began expanding its presence in southwest Michigan a few years ago with its Walker facility. - Dan Pelton, who oversees Lee’s Grand Rapids facility, will also oversee the Holland operation. - Doug Vanderheide will help lead the facility and bring machining experience to the site. - Lee has hired many of the machinists already working at the Holland location, and they will continue to run the floor.

Between the lines: - The deal signals Lee Contracting is trying to grow by absorbing existing industrial capacity rather than building from scratch. - Keeping current machinists in place should reduce transition risk and help the new site ramp up faster. - The company is building a wider western Michigan footprint that can support more complex work closer to where it already operates.

What's next: - Lee Contracting is expected to integrate the Holland operation into its broader machining network. - The company will rely on the new site, Grand Blanc and Grand Rapids to expand the amount of work it can keep in-house. - The Holland facility should become part of Lee’s ongoing growth across Michigan.