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Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Midland and Beaverton battled an early morning fire at Robinson Industries located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Midland and Beaverton battled an early morning fire at Robinson Industries located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
Firefighters from Coleman, Beaverton, Gladwin and Billings Township work to tame a fire at Robinson Industries, located at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman, Thursday, March 31, 2022.
A fire at Robinson Industries on Thursday may have damaged its Coleman facility, but the owners of the business promised they will rebuild.
Coleman and Beaverton fire departments were dispatched early Thursday morning to the site. Firefighters spent the morning shuttling water from stations, attempting to extinguish the blaze near at 3051 W. Curtis Road in Coleman.
The family-owned business turned to Facebook to connect with its community after an initial response.
"Rest assured that we will build back better and stronger as quickly as possible," read the post on Facebook on Thursday afternoon. "We are still in business! We actually have some machines available to us and we are strategizing how to proceed efficiently."
No one was injured, according to the company's Facebook page, but the building experienced "extensive loss."
Despite the loss, Robinson Industries will pay employees for a full week of work. In addition, it is encouraging workers to file for unemployment on Monday, unless told otherwise by a manager.
"We are working closely with the union on every step," the post continues. "It is our goal to contact every employee either (Thursday) or (Friday). We greatly appreciate all of you especially in a time like this."
According to the Midland Business Alliance's top county employers list, the business employed around 150 people in 2021.
According to a Business Matters profile published in the Daily News, Robinson Industries produces thermoformed heavy-duty plastics and injection molding for several industries including auto, retail, agricultural, battery, defense, marine and textile.
The business alliance compiles a list of 20 top employers in Midland County each year. Robinson Industries ranked 20th last year.
Robinson has two locations: the main plant and the structural foam plant which is on M-18 near the U-S 10 freeway. Its founder, Fred Robinson, worked for Dow Chemical making Styrofoam or expandable polystyrene.
It was founded in 1947; Robinson Industries is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. He launched the business in the basement of his home, which is located next to the Coleman facility.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
Tess DeGayner is a reporter for the Midland Daily News. She joined the Daily News after studying journalism and broadcasting at Central Michigan University. DeGayner graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2021. She previously reported for WCMU Public Radio, the Traverse City Record-Eagle and the Tri-County Times - her hometown newspaper in Fenton, Michigan.