Page 560 – Second Wave

Business booms nationwide for Kalamazoo’s iyeTek

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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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Innovation News

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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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Innovation News

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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

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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

DeVos firm, Portage company roll out energy efficiency technology

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

A new joint venture between a Grand Rapids investment firm owned by Dick and Betsy DeVos and Portage company, Pro Services, has launched and is expected to employ 15 people this year.Their new company, Pro Renewables, will sell what is known as Green Machine.Excerpt:The patented Green Machine invented and manufactured by ElectraTherm Inc. in Reno, Nev. has been installed in six locations worldwide and has earned awards from such respected publications as The Wall Street Journal and Popular Science magazine. One of the newest of the six Green Machine installations is in the Michigan Technical Education Center at Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Kalamazoo, where a demonstration and announcement about the new venture took place Wednesday morning. "We are pleased to announce this new venture bringing the Green Machine to the Midwest," says Dick DeVos, president of The Windquest Group. The venture, called ProRenewables, LLC, represents a partnership between The Windquest Group, DeVos' investment management firm in Grand Rapids, and Pro Services, a specialized trades contractor in Portage.The Green Machine uses heat and pressure recovery technologies to capture heat lost from virtually any geothermal or industrial operation and turn it into fuel-free, emission-free usable electricity. The escaping heat is a byproduct readily available from industrial sources, among them inefficient machines and manufacturing processes, and is abundantly available in the Midwest where there's a broad base of energy intensive industrial activity.Company officials estimate that more than two-thirds of the energy in fuel used to generate power in America is lost as heat. Read the whole story, to learn more about the company.Source: Rapid Growth Media

Fast Company magazine likes the way Whirlpool spins innovation

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

Products like the Smart Energy Dryer have won Whirlpool Corporation, of Benton Harbor, the No. 5 spot on Fast Company Magazine's World's Most Innovative Companies list.Whirlpool was named as an innovation leader in the consumer products category, just after household product manufacturer SC Johnson and before boot-maker Timberland.Excerpt: "Whirlpool will make 1 million 'smart' dryers by the end of 2011. Smart Energy dryers will respond to peak-energy prices by lowering power consumption, saving money for homeowners and easing stress on the electric grid. By 2015, according to Whirlpool, all of its products will be compatible with the smart grid."The story goes on to say that the company expects innovation to drive growth in 2010."It's not just about revenue growth and profit margins."It's about identifying creative models and progressive cultures – to define the many forms of innovation that exist across the business landscape."The recognition adds to a series of way-to-go's already bestowed on Whirlpool.In 2009, it was named one of FORTUNE's "Most Admired Companies" in the electronics industry, one of the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" by Corporate Responsibility Officer magazine and one of the "Top 50 Most Respected U.S. Companies" by the Reputation Institute.Whirlpool employs 67,000 people worldwide and saw annual sales of approximately $17 billion in 2009. It has an innovation pipeline worth about $4 billion and in 2009 generated $3.8 billion in revenue from its innovation efforts.Whirlpool Corporation is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances has 67 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world.The company markets Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Brastemp, Consul, Bauknecht and other major brand names to consumers in nearly every country around the world.To read more about it visit Fast Company.Source: Fast Company

Downtown Battle Creek may get new look

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In The News

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March 18, 2010

Downtown Battle Creek may be undergoing a make-over that would change streets and sidewalks, bring in an enclosed, elevated fireplace connected with an interactive water feature, a performance area and public seating along with green spaces and wireless access — all meant to make the city's center an inviting place, reports the Battle Creek Enquirer.The public got a look March 11 at the latest version of the downtown BC revitalization plans, specifically the portion that would redesign streets, when Battle Creek Unlimited and Battle Creek Downtown Partnership presented poster size drawings to the public.The latest plans incorporate suggestions made previously by the public.Officials say in the story they hope construction on the project will begin in June or July. However, the plan still is under evaluation for cost estimates, as certain features, such as lighting design, still may change.Excerpt:The streetscape is part of a larger revitalization program that, according to BCU's Web site, is expected to utilize $85 million in public and private investments over the next three years.Organizers presented Plan D — an amalgamation of the best parts of other designs for the streets, sidewalks and surroundings of downtown — on several large placards in the McCamly Place atrium."We want it to be the next step that's also going to accommodate many of the things that people want to see downtown," said BCU president and chief executive officer Karl Dehn.To find out public reaction to the plans, read the whole story.Source: Battle Creek Enquirer

Kalamazoo and People’s Food Co-Op partner on $1.7 million expansion

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Development News

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March 11, 2010

People's Food Co-Op, a 40-year-old natural grocery business currently at 436 S. Burdick St. in Kalamazoo, is working with the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to relocate and expand into a block-long, mostly food-business development at 507 Harrison Street in the River's Edge district.People's Food Co-Op will build a larger 6,000-square-foot building and hire at least six part-time employees. The new store would be located near MacKenzie's Bakery and One Way Products, two other brownfield relocation and redevelopment projects meant to make the most of land that was contaminated by a paper factory while also bringing cohesiveness to similar businesses.The new facility will increase People's Food Co-Op by more than four times its current size and will make room for a larger prepared foods section, with seating, as well as the addition of a fresh meat section and expanded local and organic produce, grocery, bulk foods, frozen, and refrigerated items.By expanding its storefront, the Co-Op expects to increase the amount it purchases from local farms and processors by more the $100,000 it spent in 2009 and to expand on existing programs, including the relocation of the 100-Mile Farmers Market to the new site. In addition, the project will include 1,400 square feet of space to be leased to Fair Food Matters' Can-Do Kitchen, a food business incubator which will expand their support of local entrepreneurs in the creation of unique products for resale.People's Food Co-Op is a community-owned business with over 750 individuals and families owning a shares and receiving discounts and rebates as a return on their investment.People's Co-op hopes to raise at least $450,000 in loans and equity from owner-members."We are so excited to be able to offer a way for the community to invest in good food, in local farming, and in our own economic success" says Chris Dilley, General Manager of People's Food Co-Op.Writer: Kim North ShineSource: City of Kalamazoo, People's Food Co-Op

Japanese battery producer picks Battle Creek, 50 to 60 jobs expected

By Kim North Shine

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Development News

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March 11, 2010

A Japanese battery producer has picked Battle Creek for its first foray into the U.S. market. It plans to create 50 to 60 new jobs, a $70 million "green tech" manufacturing plant and then some. A plan to produce lithium-ion vehicle batteries at a soon-to-be-built facility in Battle Creek became official Feb. 16 when Toda America Inc., a subsidiary of Toda Kogyo Corp. in Japan, finalized a $35 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy, letting locals, Michigan and the U.S. play a part in the electrification of cars and other vehicles. Toda will match the $35 million award from the DOE in order to build the plant at Battle Creek's Fort Custer Industrial Park, a site where pre-construction preps such as environmental remediation have already begun. "The Toda project contributes triple benefits of strategic acceleration of U.S. electrification of vehicles, immediate creation of green tech jobs, and redevelopment and reuse of existing industrial land in support of urban revitalization," says David Han, president of venture development firm Turtlerock Greentech, and a consultant to Toda. Construction on Phase 1 of the Toda plant will begin in one to two months and the plant will begin operating by February 2011. The plant will manufacture cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries for electric and non-electric vehicles. It is currently a leading manufacturer of cell phone and computer batteries. The company, which is working with the Department of Energy as part of the Reinvestment and Recovery Act, is receiving other economic development incentives from the City of Battle Creek and the State of Michigan. Both worked to convince Toda to choose Battle Creek over several other cities. The plant will expand in phases through 2013, eventually producing 4,000 tons of finished products each year at a total sales volume of about $130 million. The Michigan Department of Economic Development says 50 to 60 direct new jobs will be created at the plant and up to 148 new jobs, including 91 indirect jobs, will result from the construction and operation of the plant. "This is a critical step for Toda Kogyo Group in our quest to maintain our global leadership as the premier supply chain partner to both battery and electric vehicle manufacturers around the world," Junichi Nakano, President and CEO of Toda America, said in a statement released last week. Writer: Kim North Shine Source: PRNewswire

Wind-turbine technician academy ready for second go round

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Innovation News

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March 11, 2010

If you can function in tight quarters and work at great heights Kalamazoo Valley Community College's unique wind-turbine technician academy is looking for you.Applications are being accepted for the second 26-week program slated to begin June 1.The academy has 16 openings for students this year and the program is growing with funding from the federal government and instruction opportunities from a private donor.The federal government, through the United States Department of Education's Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education, kicked in $550,000. KVCC is awaiting word on how it will be able to spend the money on the program.A new opportunity for hands-on-experience comes from Crystal Flash Renewable Energy, of Grand Rapids. Academy trainees will work under the supervision of professional wind-turbine technicians, climbing the tower with them to learn preventive and corrective maintenance."This represents a way for us to invest in the future of the industry," says Martin Hamilton, of Crystal Flash Renewable Energy.The academy can be completed in six months, making the program attractive to retraining workers. The program also provides graduates with the credentials that are highly sought after by the wind-power industry for the construction, operation and maintenance of utility-size wind turbines, according to Cindy Buckley, executive director of training.KVCC's wind-technician academy is certified by the leading trainer for wind-turbine technicians across Europe and Asia — Bildungszentrum fur Erneuerebare Energien (BZEE). (That's "Renewable Energy Education Center" in English.) The certification makes academy graduates that much more attractive to employers.Companies already are contacting KVCC to find out how they can meet the academies graduates, Buckley says."The projection is that between 1,500 and 2,400 new technicians are needed annually to support the growing wind-energy industry," Buckley says. "Starting wages range from $14 to $21 per hour."Applications to the wind-turbine technician academy are accepted throughout the year. Qualified applicants who do not get into the June 1 class will be placed on the waiting list for training that begins in December. A math test, results of a medical exam and documentation work experience in technical fields are part of the screening process. Writer: Kathy Jennings Source: Cindy Buckley, KVCC