growth spurt

Bonal Technologies took an old idea in an old industry and turned it into a green, new economy innovation.

The 25-year-old Royal Oak-based firm specializes in the manufacturing industry.

Over the last few years, it has come up with a sub-harmonic vibratory technology for users to save between 65 and 90 percent in costs and energy consumption.

That has proven to be a boon for the company.

A couple of significant investment firms in Oakland County have become joined at the hip and expect to grow through the new merger.

Bloomfield Hills-based Planning Alternatives and Southfield-based Oakland Wealth Management combined forces earlier this month.

Planning Alternatives is the been-around-the-block player, serving Metro Detroit for 27 years. Oakland Wealth Management is the new kid on the block that's enjoying a rapid growth spurt, according to the combined firms' new managing partner, Nathan Mersereau.

Vision Computer Solutions expects its revenues to double what they were in 2007 by the end of this year, capping off a significant growth spurt, one the Northville-based firm hopes to continue.

The company grew its revenue by 50 percent in 2007 and another 35 percent in 2008.

This year the firm hopes to grow by another 30-35 percent this year. In that time the company grew to 14 employees and an intern, and it hopes to keep growing both its payroll and revenue.

Even though solidThinking isn't its own company now, it's been going through a tremendous growth spurt since Altair acquired it this past summer and adding 10 new staffers.

The new subsidiary of Altair is 20 people strong and expects to hire more within the next year as double-digit revenue growth looks likely.

Edutronix has gone through its share of changes since setting up shop in 1948.

But it wasn't until recently that the Troy-based company went through a major growth spurt.

The 10-person firm (plus four independent contractors and the occasional intern) has nearly doubled in size since January, hiring four new people.

If it hits projected growth goals over the next year, Edutronix says it'll to add another five.

Almost a dozen years ago Derek Sommer started Spud Software in his basement with the dream of one day being paid to develop software.

That day has come, gone and is coming back again.

The Grand Blanc-based firm now employs 17 people and four independent contractors. It has added seven people in the last year and is looking for two software engineers right now.

"How ironic is it that it's hard to find good people," Sommer says.