January 2019
MiMfg Magazine
Members Wanted: Participate in MMA’s Drugs in the Workplace Task Force
Michigan manufacturers face
new risks and liabilities relating to
the use and abuse of legal and
illegal drugs in the workplace.
The national opioid crisis, medical
marijuana and now legal recreational
marijuana have all worked to
complicate operations in an industry
struggling with a shortage of
skilled talent.
MMA’s newly formed Drugs
in the Workplace Task Force will allow members to work together
to get the latest updates, share
best practices and support and
defend the industry from this
emerging threat to the industry.
If you are interested in joining
the Task Force or would like
more information, contact
Delaney McKinley, MMA senior
director of government affairs
and membership, at 517-487-
8530 or [email protected].
Haviland Announces
$4M Facility Expansion Questions to Ask if
You are Stumbling
Through Your 2019
Tax Rate Notice
Grand Rapids-based chemicals
manufacturer Haviland Enterprises
has acquired and is expected to
expand into a new 107,000-square-
foot office space in Walker. The
expansion is an investment of
more than $4 million and will be
a property adjacent to the company’s
existing 160,000-square-foot facility.
The expansion will allow for
upgrades to the company’s
infrastructure and expanded
production capacity beginning
in 2021.
“First and foremost is continuing
to ensure and improve workplace
safety,” said Mike Karasiewicz,
president and CEO of Haviland
Enterprises. “The additional space
will provide increased manufacturing
capacity, as well as the opportunity
to replace some of our aging
equipment. Another big plus is
the efficiency and synergy
inherent in bringing together
business teams and operations
under one roof.”
Karasiewicz continued, saying
that with the company’s businesses
“diversified across manufacturing,
pool and spa and contract
manufacturing, we see an abundance
of growth opportunities. The
benefits of this new, expanded space
will allow us to capitalize on them.”
Founded in 1934, Haviland is
an employee-owned company
that formulates, blends, packages
and distributes chemicals for
commercial markets.
Manufacturers will soon receive
Michigan Unemployment Insurance
Agency (UIA) notices concerning
their state unemployment payroll
tax rate for Calendar Year 2019.
It’s important to carefully review
the 2019 payroll tax rate assigned
by the UIA.
• Did your 2019 payroll
tax go up or down from
last year?
• If it went up, why?
• If it went down, you can
celebrate for a moment
but then make sure it went
down far enough.
Remember to review all
components of the payroll tax
equations and double-check the
numbers used. Note, the UIA
uses specific time periods for
making calculations, so carefully
review the date parameters.
Using actual figures or reasonable
estimates, determine the following:
• Is your taxable payroll amount
listed accurately?
• Is your total payroll amount
listed accurately?
• Are the amounts listed as
benefits charged over the past
three (3) years accurate?
• Are the amounts listed as
benefits charged over the past
12 months accurate?
• Were any penalties assessed
improperly?
• How can the penalties be
avoided this year?
If you believe there are errors
with your payroll tax calculation,
you have 30 days to file an appeal
with the UIA. All appeals must
be received by the UIA on or
before the 30th day after the
“mail date” listed on your tax
rate determination.
Contact MMA’s Delaney
McKinley at 517-487-8530 or
[email protected].
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