Page 560 – Second Wave

German metal finishing company expands in Battle Creek

By Newsroom

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March 25, 2010

Battle Creek will benefit from a German company's decision to consolidate its operations, reports the Battle Creek Enquirer. Rosler Metal Finishing, the North American division of the Rosler Group, is planning to add 110,000 square feet to its Battle Creek site at 311 Armstrong Road. Operations in Adrian and Marshall will be cosolidated at the Battle Creek site. Excerpt: The family-owned company manufactures more than 95 percent of its ceramic media, plastic media and compounds at its 150,000-square-foot Battle Creek facility. It employs 120 people in North America and 1,300 workers worldwide. "After carefully considering all the pros and cons, the advantages of a centralized facility with synergies in Production, Sales, Inside Sales, Marketing, and Purchasing, as well as higher tax incentives offered by the City of Battle Creek, provided overwhelming support for our decision," said Harold Wagenknecht, President of Rosler Metal Finishing USA. Rosler products are used in everything from aircraft to golf ball manufacturing, said Karl Dehn, Battle Creek Unlimited president and chief executive officer. The story goes on to say All Rosler employees in Adrian and the six or so workers at the Marshall Township facility will be offered employment in Battle Creek, Read the whole story to find out more about efforts to convince the business to expand in Battle Creek.

Portage residents say keep it up

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 18, 2010

Portage residents love their bikeway and trails system.They also think their parks are pretty great and they really dig the city's recycling program.So says 90-plus percent of residents responding to the annual city survey.Results of the the 24th Annual Citizen Survey let the city know what's important to residents each year.In 2010 it's quality of life, economic development, roads and neighborhoods, to name a few.Asked about the city services they receive, 85 percent gave a thumbs up. Economic development got a less enthusiastic 65 percent approval for the city's efforts to promote itself to business.The survey was conducted by mail by the Kercher Center at Western Michigan University.The City Council is listening and has made economic development, quality of life and infrastructure improvements, among other initiatives, priorities for 2010.Writer: Kim North ShineSource: City of Portage

Eaton Corp.’s hybrid system powers buses for the military

By Newsroom

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Development News

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March 18, 2010

The federal government has purchased 35 fuel-sipping shuttle buses outfitted with hybrid electric power systems developed in Galesburg bythe Eaton Corp. The U.S. General Services Administration,using stimulus funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,bought the buses for use on U.S. Military bases. They will replace older, less efficient models, according to the GSA.Last year,the GSA announced it would spend $77 million in stimulus funds to buy3,100 fuel efficient hybrid vehicles. Altogether a hybrid fleetis expected to save an estimated 16.7 million gallons of fuel over thenext seven years. Using the vehicles could prevent the release of 334million pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The hybrid system used in the shuttle buses was developed at Eaton Hybrid Power System headquarters in Galesburg with assistance from the company's division in Southfield. Bus manufacturer Capitol Coach Works, Inc. of Capitol Heights,Md., purchased the system to use in the shuttle buses. The hybrid business has proved to be a growth area for Eaton and the company has hired 10 engineers in the past year to support it. Buses powered by Eaton's hybrid power system have the pontential to have a big impact on environmental sustainability, says William Batten,Director of Government Accounts for Eaton's Vehicle Group."We've seen many positive results from commercial customers around the world,"Batten says, "and we hope that this announcement will lead to overall greater acceptance of hybrid technology within the U.S. federal fleet."Vehicles with Eaton hybrid systems typically see fuel savings up to 35 percent, with similar percentages in emission reductions. The vehicles also have extended brake life and idle time reductions of up to 87 percent. Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: William Batten, Eaton Vehicle Corp.

Local company’s parts help build soccer-playing robots

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Development News

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March 18, 2010

High school students around the world are building competition robots with parts provided by Parker Hannifen in Otsego.Parker Hannifin donated brass fittings and valves — a contribution valued at between $10,000 and $50,000 — in the kit of 577 items given to teams of robot builders as part of the competition, which combines science, technology and a sporting event. A variety of companies provided part for the kits used in US FIRST — United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology - competitions worldwide.US FIRST was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology.As part of the FIRST Robotic Competition, teams of high school studentsreceive motors, batteries, a control system, a PC and a mix ofautomative components. No instructions on how to assemble a robot areincluded. Instead, teams work with mentors to build, design, programand test their robots over a six-week period. The goal of the competition is to put the latest technology in the hands of students, give them the opportunity to use the same tools as professional scientists and engineers and ultimately impart skills they could carry into the workplaceThe robot-building kits were distributed to more than 1,800 teams of high-school students in January. More than 45,000 students from 12 countries will design and build robots for regional competitions, which are now underway. The world championship is scheduled for April 15-17 in Atlanta. Participants are eligible to apply for nearly $12 million in scholarships offered by universities, colleges, and companies.This year's competition is called Breakaway and it calls for robots that can shoot soccer balls into a net, drive over a bump to round up soccer balls,and hang suspended from a tower. Robots that can hang from another robot earn extra points for their team.Paul R. Gudonis, of FIRST, praised Parker Hannifen for its contribution, saying the Fluid System Connectors Division has helped "to create a world where science and technology are celebrated… where young people dream of becoming science and technology leaders."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Paul R. Gudonis

More snowmobilers, more business

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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March 18, 2010

South Haven's downtown businesses are feeling warmed by a snowmobile-driven boost.

Studio 246 writes a new script

By Kathy Jennings

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General

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March 18, 2010

In the new script theater lives long and prospers. Downtown, at Studio 246, they're keeping the spirit of alternative theater alive. With a little help from their friends, they're fixing up the place and everyone's invited to see what's up next.

Business booms nationwide for Kalamazoo’s iyeTek

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Economic Development

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March 18, 2010

Demand keeps growing for software developed for law enforcement agencies by the Kalamazoo information technology company, iyeTek.When iyeTek moved into Western Michigan University's Business and Research Park two years ago it had six employees and three interns. Today, 10 employees are on staff, and at any one time six to eight interns work on the company's software solutions for law enforcement agencies. Those are now used in 28 states compared to eight states that used iyeTek two years ago.When it moved into the research park in March 2008, iyeTek occupied 1,300 square feet of space at 4664 Campus Drive. Business has been so good since then the company has nearly doubled the amount of space it uses.The company's various software, including electronic ticket writing and crash reporting systems and information sharing with local, state and federal agencies, is now used all across Michigan. The software is used in handheld and mobile devices.Company co-founder and Director of Operations Salman Anwar gives much credit for the company's success to the support it has gotten in the BTR Park and its partnership with WMU. Among iyeTek's successes is the crash reporting system that has proved to be the most popular of its products, Anwar says."We're making the roads safer for people who drive on a daily basis," Anwar says. The iyeTek crash reporting system is one way it does that. The system helps police officers document crash details that give law enforcement agencies and traffic engineers information to analyze. It can help them determined the causes of crashes and also lead them, if need be, to take actions to make roadways more safe. "It's all about saving lives of police officers and citizens," Anwar says. Another popular software package involves information sharing that alerts officers during traffic stops and calls to be notified of any NCIC — National Crime Information Center — and FBI warnings related to a vehicle or suspect.The company was founded in Kalamazoo by Anwar and Jeremy Vainavicz, both alumni of WMU's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource Salman Anwar

$350,000 supports WMU’s study of greenhouse gas storage

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Economic Development

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March 18, 2010

A total of $350,000 in grants to Western Michigan University will further studies into greenhouse gas storage as the push for clean coal energy heats up.WMU researchers are looking for ways to further develop clean coal technology by capturing the greenhouse gases it creates and storing them deep under the earth.Success could mean economic development opportunities for the state, including the creation of high-tech jobs, more affordable energy costs for consumers and reduction of pollution from the gases.The research, which has been ongoing in some form at WMU for six years, recently got a boost of $350,000 from federal stimulus funds.Most of the money comes from the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Illinois, which is studying four states for their suitability to store the greenhouse gas or CO2. Together, they contributed $306,000. The remaining $44,000 comes from the Department of Energy and Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative Inc., a nonprofit member-owned utility in Cadillac and is being used for engineering design and cost estimates for the capture of 1,000 metric tons of CO2 per day from a proposed power plant in Rogers City, MI.In science-speak, what WMU is doing is carbon capture and geological carbon sequestration research. In layman's terms, they are looking at deep geological formations underground in Michigan to figure out if they could be used to store captured carbon gases.Dr.David A. Barnes, professor of geosciences at WMU, is the principal investigator on the two research projects funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009."Fossil energy has been fundamentally responsible for development in modern industrialized societies, but the associated greenhouse gas emissions are seriously threatening our environment," Barnes says. "The capture and deep geological storage of greenhouse gas emissions provide a critical bridging technology as we move, as aggressively as possible, to renewable energy technologies."Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: David A. Barnes

Portage cheers $204,700 grant to improve city buildings

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Economic Development

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March 18, 2010

A number of projects meant to make Portage city facilities more energy-efficient are under way thanks to a $204,700 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.Thegrant comes from dollars set aside in the American Reinvestment andRecovery Act and will create additional jobs as work is done on fourseparate city buildings.City Hall will receive HVAC upgrades, window replacement, insulation and general weatherization. ThePortage Senior Center will also undergo similar work while the city'sPublic Services building will have its lighting upgraded.Fire Station No. 2 on Oakland Drive gets its boiler replaced and have a radiant heat system installed.The improvements could save the City of Portage $10,000 annually on energy bills.Writer: Kim North ShineSource: Devin Mackinder, CIO/IT Director City of Portage

Gusts off South Haven among best in state for wind energy

By Newsroom

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

TThe winds that churn off South Haven's lakeshore are known for being a powerful force, and the city is looking at ways to control the turbines that could harness that wind for energy, reports the Kalamazoo Gazette.The city planning commission in August began to consider how to regulate wind turbines. A public hearing is set for April 1 to get input on the proposed rules."We know that the wind is very good here so we want to have something in place that will balance quality of life with these new technologies," says City Manager Brian Dissette. Excerpt:The wind-power potential in South Haven is maybe best seen by taking a drive along Monroe Boulevard, where trees atop a large hill that leads down to Lake Michigan are permanently bent from the west winds that blow unfettered across the open waters."There is a high level of interest in wind energy (in South Haven)," Dissette said. "That's the driving force behind this ordinance."Under the city's draft ordinance, only wind turbines 40 feet tall or shorter would be allowed within 3,000 feet of the lakeshore. Turbines taller than 40 feet but under 200 feet would be allowed in areas zoned industrial and in one area zoned for business near I-196 on the city's east side. Turbines 200 to 400 feet tall would be restricted to industrial areas.Special-use permits from the city would be required for all wind turbines, regardless of size. For those taller than 200 feet, a study of potential impact on wildlife and noise would have to be filed. Other requirements would include minimum setbacks from other structures of 1.5 to 2 times the height of the turbine. There are few parcels in South Haven that could accommodate those zoning requirements, according to Dissette."This ordinance is pretty doggone restrictive," the city manager said. "I don't see a line forming to seek installing these (turbines). Few can fund it and make it economically feasible."Read the whole story on the proposed wind turbine regulations.Source: Kalamazoo Gazette