Battle Creek

With an economic development organization that is the envy of many communities, Battle Creek is a city building on its food industry roots and the land that makes it the state’s third largest city. For fun, each year the Cereal City, world headquarters to the Kellogg Co., celebrates the significance of the most important meal of the day with the World’s Longest Breakfast table. Bikers, cyclers and joggers take in the parks, forests and streams linked by a 24-mile linear park. Campers and outdoor lovers visit Fort Custer Recreation area for fishing, hiking, cross country skiing and boating. For animal lovers, African creatures, like giraffes, and Asian animals, like snow leopards, make the Binder Park Zoo a must. The Battle Creek Art Center and Battle Creek Symphony stoke the city’s cultural offerings and the new Firekeepers Casino adds to the city’s fun side. B.C’s Math and Science Center is acclaimed and secondary education needs are accommodated by Kellogg Community College, Robert B. Miller College and a branch of Western Michigan University. And Sojourner Truth, who lived here, watches over downtown from the memorial in her honor.

Six donations bring $2.5 million to cancer center

By Kathy Jennings

●

Development News

●

March 11, 2010

Lakeland HealthCare in St. Joseph hopes to raise $4.5 million for a new outpatient clinic. It's already more than halfway there. Lakeland anticipates breaking ground April 11 on the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building that will connect to the existing Center for Outpatient Services. When complete, the capital campaign would cover a third of the cost of $13.5 million cancer care center.A $1 million donation made in the name of Marie Yeager, an oncology nurse who died in 2008, is the largest to the hospital system's capital campaign. The Frederick S. Upton Foundation has pledged $400,000.Marie Yeager cared for patients as an oncology nurse at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph. Her husband, Tom, is a member of Lakeland HealthCare's Board of Directors. "We are immensely grateful for the Yeager family's generous support for this project," said Bill Johnson, President of the Lakeland Health Foundations. "Lakeland is honored to name the new cancer center after Marie. It is a fitting legacy for someone who exemplified Lakeland's mission of putting the patient first." The Marie Yeager Cancer Center Lakeland Health Park in Royalton Township will provide a full range of oncology services.The opening date for the regional cancer center is projected to be the fall of 2011.Writer: Kathy JenningsSource: Lakeland Health Center

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

By Kim North Shine

●

Development News

●

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