In the West Michigan Is Going Places series we are talking with local business owners and community leaders about their business successes and challenges and highlighting the resources available in the West Michigan business community.
In this interview we talked with Jace Morgan of Technical Air Products about his business. Technical Air Products designs and manufactures modular softwall and rigidwall cleanrooms, cleanroom components, and cleanroom accessories and furniture.
RM: Could you tell us a little about what your business does and how it got started?
Jace Morgan: Technical Air Products manufactures modular cleanrooms, which are controlled environments used by aerospace, pharmaceutical and micro-electronics companies, as well as healthcare systems and universities, just to name a few. Technical Air Products was started over 30 years ago by an engineer who used to work for a local cleanroom manufacturer in West Michigan. That company was purchased and then relocated out of state, so a few of the employees started cleanroom-related businesses here in Grand Rapids. Now, over 30 years later, Technical Air Products is one of the leading manufacturers of modular softwall and rigidwall cleanrooms in the country.
How has your business changed since you first started out?
Jace Morgan: Technical Air Products has changed ownership a few times since its inception. Each new owner has invested in its people and infrastructure, which has resulted in significant growth. Technical Air Products is now part of a larger portfolio of companies, offering a broad range of cleanroom solutions around the world.
What makes you passionate about what you do?
Jace Morgan: Our people. As our company has continued to grow, it has been very rewarding to see the growth of our people along the way. We have a great team.
How has being here in West Michigan helped your business?
Jace Morgan: Once again, it comes down to the people. We have a lot of good, hard-working people in West Michigan that have helped us grow our business. Frankly, I wouldn’t want to own a business anywhere else.
What’s your approach to customer service and connecting with the community?
Jace Morgan: We do business with a lot of large, prominent, global businesses. If we did not stand behind our products and do everything in our power to support our customers, we wouldn’t have been in business for over 30 years. In our case, it takes a “village” to be successful. We have partnered with several local businesses, as both suppliers and dealers, who have been crucial to our growth and success.
How do you plan to grow or adapt your business for the future?
Jace Morgan: We are continuing to invest in our people and infrastructure. We are expanding our sales and marketing team, as well as our skilled labor and machinery. We are focused on increasing our manufacturing capabilities and throughput, to keep up with our customers’ growth.
