i.M. Branded bringing jobs and innovation to Pontiac

PONTIAC, Mich., June 12, 2017 -- Anyone driving on I-75 lately who glances up at the Chrysler World Headquarters and Technology Center has seen the work of i.M. Branded. The Michigan-based company creates the eye-catching 18,000 sq. ft. graphics that wrap the side of the building, as well as thousands of other unique graphic displays and commercial furniture for automotive clients across the country.

From its local roots as a small snowboard graphics shop founded by Jim Whitehead in 1996, i.M. Branded has grown into the nation's largest provider of brand-specific furniture and wall art for automotive dealers to support OEM corporate identity programs. Now the company is expanding even further, as it moves into its new 150,000 sq. ft. facility in Pontiac, Michigan.

"We currently have 110 employees," said i.M. Branded president Jim Whitehead. "We'll hire about 40 more when we relocate to Pontiac in September and we plan to expand beyond 200 employees in the coming years." Current job openings include sales and marketing manager, cabinet assembly, millwork engineering, and installers. Candidates can apply at www.imbranded.com.

Whitehead attributes the company's rapid growth to its laser focus on creating the highest-quality brand-specific furniture, fixtures and wall art for clients. "Every project we touch, from the smallest to the largest, receives our unparalleled attention to detail," said Whitehead.

High profile projects include work on Super Bowls, Daytona 500, NAIAS and numerous building wraps across the country, such as the GM Renaissance Center wrap introducing the Chevrolet Malibu. The cutting-edge Renaissance Center wrap included 125,000 sq. ft. of material and 66 high-definition LED lights featuring first-of-its-kind nighttime illumination of the headlights and driving lights of the Chevrolet Malibu.

As exciting as the high profile projects are, i.M. Branded is just as enthusiastic about its primary business that supports corporate identity programs for Audi, Aston Martin, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ferrari, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Maserati, Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce Motor Cars. In total, the company has served over 5,000 dealerships.

i.M. Branded will be moving from its current 65,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility at 2791 Research Drive in Rochester Hills to its new 150,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility at 2040 Centerpoint in Pontiac, to support continued growth. The company signed a ten year lease of the new space on May 23 and build-out began on May 30, which is scheduled to take three to four months to complete.

The redevelopment of Centerpoint is a promising new chapter for a corporate site with a 90+ year history. In 1926 GMT Corp purchased a 160 acre farm, and the following year Yellow Coach & Truck started construction of a 1.25 million sq. ft. production facility. The property changed hands over the years and in 1994 Etkin Equities and GM developed the Centerpoint Business Campus where more than 4,000 GM engineers worked until the facility closed in 2009.

In 2014, developer IRG purchased the Centerpoint Business Campus and began redevelopment of a 980,000 sq. ft. facility designed for multitenant occupancy. Its anchor tenant is FANUC Robotics that occupies 575,000 sq. ft. In 2016, i.M. Branded discovered the location during its search for a larger manufacturing facility. "John Boyd and the team at Signature Associates were instrumental in helping us find and secure this great location," said Whitehead.

"We are very excited that Jim Whitehead and the i.M Branded team have selected our Centerpoint Central location for their new headquarters and production facility," said Christopher Semarjian, owner/member of the Centerpoint facility.

"The location is ideal for our operation and i.M. Branded has made a long-term commitment to Pontiac," said Whitehead. "Working in the auto industry, we feel a connection to the site's automotive past and we look forward to helping drive its bright future."

More information about i.M. Branded and the new 2040 Centerpoint location is available at www.imbranded.com where visitors can view job openings and examples of the company's work.

SOURCE i.M. Branded

CONTACT: Mike Scott, 248-766-9482