Biden: American Seating 'never left'

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Speaking to a full house Wednesday morning, Vice President Joe Biden told the crowd assembled at American Seating in Grand Rapids that there was only one way to bring back the American promise: More manufacturing jobs.

Not surprisingly, everyone in the crowd that 24 Hour news 8 spoke to agreed with what the vice president had to say as he championed "insourcing" instead of "outsourcing."

"I promise you, your kids are going to hear as much about insourcing as much as your generation heard about outsourcing," said Biden.

People said they liked that Biden stressed that recovery has to start at home and that it's important for products to be made in America.

"I liked what he had to say about how there's a core strength in the working man, and that's what supports this country," said Neil Pettit, who watched Biden's speech. "I really think that I agree with what he said."

American Seating, a Grand Rapids-based company for since the 1880s, was the ideal location for the speech.

The company makes seats for busses, trains, stadiums and concert arenas. Its products are manufactured in Grand Rapids and the company says those products are made of nearly 100% American materials.  

"You all here at American Seating never turned back," said Biden. "You never outsourced. You never left. You never abandoned."

"I loved what he had to say," said Betsy Howell, who also attended the speech. "Made in America is important and it's critical to our business. And we made a real effort there and this has been great."

Stressing American-made goods is particularly critical in particular to American Seating.

"You gotta start at home," said John Chevis. "If you don't start at home, where are you gonna start? So I really enjoyed today."

American Seating benefited greatly from the 2009 federal stimulus package. More investment in mass transit translated into more seats made at American Seating -- and more jobs.

Biden didn't hesitate to allude to the stimulus package in his speech.  

"If it were not for the fact that the government decided that we promote mass transportation and busses, you wouldn't have as many jobs here," said Biden. 

American Seating said that in order to stay successful and to keep those jobs in Grand Rapids, it needs consistent federal funding. The company's current federal funding runs only through April.

There are hopes that bills will be signed to extend the funding further.