Big gets bigger: September 6 jobs news roundup

Underwear is the answer at the Shirt Box

Frank Witsil of the Detroit Free Press asked the question, "How does a business grow when demand for its key product is shrinking?" A men's clothing store in Farmington Hills, the Shirt Box, has done just that. In an interview, co-owners Ron Elkus and Rod Brown explain how they've kept up with the times as demand for men's business fashion has waned over the decades. While dress shirts are still a focus, the Shirt Box has stayed relevant since opening 35 years ago by being at the forefront of changing fashions. One way they've done it? Start selling high-end, $30 underwear, a shift from the "tighty-whities" they first carried. [Detroit Free Press]

Size adjustments for garment growth in Pontiac  

In just one year since starting up, cut and sew manufacturer Detroit Sewn has grown from one client and one employee to 80 clients and 14 employees. In the beginning of 2017, Detroit Sewn will move to a 5,000 sq. ft. facility in downtown Pontiac, twice the size of its current building. The company expects to hire up to five new employees to complement the move. [dBusiness]

Big and getting bigger in Southfield

Metaldyne Performance Group, one of the world's biggest automotive suppliers, just got bigger. The Southfield-based powertrain components supplier has acquired Brillion Iron Works of Brillion, Wis. CEO George Thanopoulos says Metaldyne has completed ten acquisitions in the past ten years, consistent growth for a company ranked 76th in the top 100 global suppliers as put out by the Automotive News. [Crain's Detroit Business]

Quote of the week: "I love it." -- Bill Clinton, when the Detroit News asked his opinion of the city during a Labor Day parade down Michigan Avenue in Corktown. The former president marched in the parade and later spoke at the UAW Solidarity House on E. Jefferson Avenue. [The Detroit News]
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MJ Galbraith is Model D's development news editor. Follow him on Twitter @mikegalbraith.