December 2013 Newsletter
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Lee County Economic Development Group Newsletter December 2013 Contact LCEDG Team Steve Bisenius 515-491-9011 [email protected] Dennis Fraise 319-753-0690 [email protected] Dana Klesner 319-931-7182 [email protected] Newsletter Tri-State Industry Celebrates 150 Years After four generations and 150 Key Happenings with Key Players: years, Dadant & Sons Inc. is the oldest and largest manufacturer of bee keeping supplies in the US. Cryotech Deicing the Competition Headquartered in Hamilton, Illinois, Dadant produces exquisite candles for religious Lee County EDG Recognized and decorative purposes, commercial beeswax and Independent Can Company for beekeeper supplies for colonies throughout the US and Exponential Growth internationally. Congratulations to our neighbors for celebrating this 150 year Southeastern Community College milestone! Creating Skilled Workers Visit Dadant’s website for more information and to view their catalog www.dadant.com Join Our Mailing List Skills Gap Concerns Lee County Share your success story, company update or event with Lee County by emailing Dana Klesner at [email protected] Do you Know... Lee County Economic Development Board Thank you in advance for your assistance in keeping Lee Members? County informed. A special thank you to the Lee County Supervisors, Fort Madison Chamber of Commerce, Fort Madison Economic Development Corporation, Keokuk Economic Development Corporation and Keokuk Affiliates Cryotech Leading the way in Deicing Technology Cryotech Deicing Technology, a division of General Atomics International Services Corporation, is a world leader in aircraft, runway, and commercial deicing technology. Cryotech manufactures and markets environmentally compatible low corrosion aircraft and runway deicers, certified to FAA-approved specifications. Cryotech’s main facility is located in Fort Madison, Iowa with an additional research and development site on the east coast. The first company in the industry to develop and introduce certified bio-based liquid runway deicers to the North American market, Cryotech has been supplying airports with acetate based runway and ramp deicing products since 1992. Cryotech launched its own brand of aircraft deicing fluids in 2010, after successfully supplying the North American marketplace for over ten years. Cryotech’s experienced research and development team continuously develops, introduces, and enhances industry technology. In the last year alone, Cryotech launched three new deicing products - Cryotech Glacier BlueTM Ready-To-Use Lavatory Fluid, Cryotech Polar ShieldTM TKS In- Flight Ice Prevention Fluid, and Cryotech Polar Guard® II Type II Aircraft Deicing Fluid. In addition to these newly released products, in May, 2013, Cryotech announced an expansion of its partnership with Proviron; a Belgium based chemical solutions company. Proviron is introducing Cryotech’s aircraft deicing solutions into the European marketplace this 2013-14 John Moles, Chief Plant Engineer winter season. This paring enables Cryotech to broaden its market reach while utilizing an experienced partner in the runway deicing industry. Expanding on world leading deicing expertise and technological capabilities, Cryotech also focuses research and development efforts on industrial applications and services. The chemical compositions of current product lines and capabilities of the Iowa facility are marketable for industrial applications and services. Cryotech’s New Business Development Team focuses on developing these opportunities through mutually beneficial partnerships. Current industrial markets include: transit lavatory fluid, oil and gas, hydrotesting, dust suppression, and bioremediation among others. Cryotech partners with more than 25 terminals, warehouses, and blending facilities throughout North America and has a world- wide network of distributors. This distribution network combined with a vast network of common carriers allows Cryotech to meet and often exceed tight delivery expectations. Cryotech is an ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certified company; the first manufacturer in the North American deicing industry to receive both the quality and environmental management certifications. For more information visit www.cryotech.com Skills Gap Hurts Iowa The Des Moines Register ran this headline on Thanksgiving to summarize the recent survey by the Director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority, Debi Durham. “More than 7,000 companies have been interviewed using this survey since 2007. Iowa’s lack of qualified workers is the top reason businesses choose not to expand”. Consistent with the studies done by Iowa Workforce Development, there is a serious issue of a real skills shortage that is hindering these expansions. Director Durham has estimated that these expansions could equal $9.3 billion in new investment and create almost 7,000 new jobs. Some states have already responded to a similar crisis by introducing technical skills training as early as the 5th grade—such as: robotics, machining, CNC programing, 3D printers and other skills to help students develop perspective as well as real skills. Lee County’s challenge now is how to dramatically increase the technical skills offered to our students as early in their schooling as possible. Earlier this year, our unemployment rate approached 12%. Last week the official unemployment rate for Lee County was listed at 6.4%--still the highest rate in Iowa. Des Moines County is now at 5.5% and Henry County is at 4.7%. If we are ever to convince our young graduates that Lee County provides world class jobs—and world class pay, for them to want to remain in Lee County, we have to provide all of them with those critical skills needed—sooner than later. - Steve Bisenius, Lee County EDG Executive Director Rapid Growth for Independent Can Company Independent Can Company has experienced exponential growth, undergoing five significant expansions in its 35 years of being in Fort Madison. The plant currently sits on 15 acres with room for more expansions in the future. Lee County EDG recognized Independent Can Company by extending its “heartfelt appreciation to Independent Can Company for its significant new investment in building their new state of the art facility in Fort Madison, Iowa.” Dave Schwarz, Chairman of Lee County EDG, stated “This award is a tribute to the management, shareholders and employees of Independent Can Company.” Their success is significantly attributed to being customer focused and highly flexible in meeting clients’ needs. In the past two years Independent Can has added six new product lines. Specializing in the very popular tin signs that can be purchased through Desperate Enterprises. Independent Can is the only company in the country with equipment to print lomography on their tin signs, winning over 20 awards for their exceptionally high quality printing. Jeff Hardy, Plant Manager, stated the tin sign product lines has seen the most growth in one year “growing from $1.9 million to $4 million in sales.” Independent Can Company’s products also include popcorn tin From left to right, Steve Bisenius LCEDG Executive Director, Phil cans that can be found at Target, Kohl’s, Trader Joe’s and the Hecht LCEDG Secretary/Treasurer, Deb Sheets Independent Can Assistant Plant Manager, Jeff Hardy Independent Can Plant Popcorn Factory in Chicago to name a few. Their containers can Manager, Dave Schwarz LCEDG Chairman, and Dana Klesner also be found in Trump Towers. LCEDG Community Relations & Event Coordinator Independent Can also has the ability to create specialty cans of various sizes which are popular during the holidays. They have created specialty containers for employee appreciation Christmas gifts including one for the Fort Madison Chamber. These containers can be used in gift baskets or to hold items such as food, pocket knives, perfume or even a bottle of wine. To view products available click here for Independent Can Company Catalog or visit www.desperate.com to view their tin signs. Creating Skilled Workers “Statistics reports that eight of the 10 top growing occupations through 2014 do not require a bachelor’s degree. Instead, skills certificates, on-the-job training, and apprenticeship programs are relevant and practical methods for developing middle skills.”1 Of course, the responsibility for developing the skills necessary for the future workforce is not on the employer alone. As skilled jobs become more in demand; earning certifications is a viable solution for workers to enhance their skillset. Southeastern Community College Center for Business (CBIZ), is continually developing their technical training programs for industries to have the talent they need in order to thrive. CBIZ currently offers an Industrial Operations Maintenance Skills training program that covers the basic electrical and mechanical skills used in manufacturing facilities. “Manufacturers hiring graduates can do so knowing they’ll have the skills to get them up to speed quickly. It really lowers the cost and risk of hiring” stated Dennis Hinkle, Executive Director. Graduates will have the ability to operate, repair and troubleshoot industrial Students trouble-shoot electrical equipment through Industrial machinery as well as read blueprints & machine drawings. Operations Maintenance Skills Program By developing partnerships between industries and education systems, manufacturers can help secure a trained workforce. Southeastern Community College is able to customize their training courses in order to fit a particular