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Manufacturing & Technology
A game competitor: Sales surge for maker of Gnip Gnop, What's in Ned's Head?
December 19, 2005
Anthony SchoettleThe atmosphere is lighthearted at the westside headquarters of Fundex Games Inc., where ideas sketched on cocktail napkins
become award-winning games like What's in Ned's Head? and Alfredo's Food Fight. And why not be happy at a company whose more
tasteful games, such as Gnip Gnop and Phase 10, have helped grow revenue from $4.6 million to $20 million in the last decade?
If there's any nail-biting at Fundex it's because this is the most important time of the year....
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Security depends on flexibility, not stability
December 12, 2005
Morton MarcusIn one word, what do we want? I suggest that word is security, physical and financial security. We want to live without fear
for our lives or our livelihoods. The atrocities of 9/11 made Americans more fearful about their physical security than they
had been since the early days of World War II. Our economic condition feels insecure as jobs drift to other nations, as health
care costs soar, and as both public and private pension plans are threatened. To...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Economy is doing great, but what about next year?
December 12, 2005
Patrick BarkeyHere's a question the visually oriented news media face all the time-what does a strong economy look like? Belching smokestacks
and humming assembly lines are the clichés of yesteryear, now that we've entered an era when knowledge and services account
for more output than do physical goods. But somehow the picture of an office worker tapping on a keyboard or a group of executives
huddled around a conference table doesn't quite convey the vitality and power of the world's largest...
MoreFamily follows Trusty path: Local manufacturer uses lessons from innovative founder
December 5, 2005
Anthony SchoettleTrusty-Cook Inc. looks like an old-school manufacturer, even though its inventions are cutting-edge. The company's 15,000-squarefoot
factory on 59th Street east of Fort Harrison State Park looks more like an inventor's workshop than a state-of-the-art operation
intent on pounding out millions of widgets. Trusty-Cook owners eschew hot trends like Japanese-imported lean manufacturing,
and aren't apt to use catch phrases like "just-in-time delivery." Despite the company's throwback demeanor, when it comes
to working with urethane, Trusty-Cook is revolutionary. And its latest...
MoreProminent technology executive steps down: Wortman resigns from Mezzia after just one year
December 5, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerDetails are scant. But after only a year on the job, one of the city's best-known IT leaders is moving on. Mezzia Inc. CEO
David Wortman has resigned. "It was just time for a change," Wortman said. "I was with the company for a year, accomplished
a lot, and was ready for a change." Best known as the longtime CEO of locally based manufacturing softwaremaker Made2Manage
Systems, Wortman, 54, led his former company through an initial public offering. But he...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Farming on decline, but ag still offers opportunity
December 5, 2005
Patrick BarkeyDrive less than 20 minutes from almost any crossroads in Indiana and you'll come across a feature of the Midwest landscape
we take for granted: farmland. The vast open space in abundance between our state's urban areas remains dominated by the industry
that once employed more people than any other: agriculture. And while the sights of barns, cropland and animals grazing in
pastures are familiar to us all, we should remember that looks can be deceiving. Plenty of changes are...
MoreCHRIS KATTERJOHN Commentary: Setting an example for Sacramento
November 28, 2005
"To improve Sacramento, learn from Indianapolis" was the headline of a column in the Nov. 18 Sacramento Business Journal.
It's always nice to get a compliment and some good PR. Turns out a delegation of nearly a hundred Sacramentonians-or is it
Sacramentites?-were here in October on a three-day study mission to learn how to become a great city. It was the seventh year
in a row for them to make a learning visit to another community. Tom Stallard, head of...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: States shed differences, except those in Midwest
November 28, 2005
Patrick BarkeyWhat can we say about the business climate in Indiana that other states aren't already saying about themselves? We think we
have a great quality of life, good access to transportation, and a hardworking labor force. So do they. We have a variety
of tax incentives, training grants and infrastructure improvements that we tout aggressively to those who would build or expand
here. So do they. In fact, one of the most remarkable trends over the last few decades has...
MoreFine-tuning a business strategy: Local violinmaker finds success by raising prices
November 28, 2005
Matthew KishF ine-tuning a business strategy Local violinmaker finds success by raising prices John Welch made a counterintuitive business
decision two years ago. The violin business was in decline. Asian manufacturers were turning out high-quality stringed instruments
for a fraction of the price of their American competitors. Welch decided to swim against the current. He raised prices. "We
realized the only way to compete with the Chinese was to improve our quality," said Welch, CEO of Indianapolis-based Sofia
Violins. "We realized...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: State economy looks good, but clouds are on horizon
November 21, 2005
Patrick BarkeyIt's the time of year to get out our crystal balls and ask this deceptively simple question: What kind of year will 2006 be
for the Indiana economy? This year, like any other, finds us making lists of what's going right, and what's going wrong, in
our economic environment. Let's start with the good news. It may surprise some of you to know there is plenty to choose from.
Topping the list has to be the surprisingly robust health of...
MoreVIEWPOINT Valerie Eickmeier: Business needs to harness power of arts
November 21, 2005
VIEWPOINT Valerie Eickmeier Business needs to harness power of arts Indiana will more fully reach its potential in economic
development for the 21st century when its common goal is to build a community where commerce and creativity can thrive. The
world is entering an era some business leaders and economists are calling the "Conceptual Age." They trace the economic growth
of our country from agriculture to industrial manufacturing, technology and the Information Age. Today, our country's primary
economic growth and...
MoreIncentive search shot down: University Loft eyes Tennessee after Hancock County spurns request to create a TIF district
November 14, 2005
Anthony SchoettleHancock County Commissioners' unwillingness to consider creating a Tax Increment Financing district has sent a growing Indianapolis-based
manufacturer looking for a new expansion site, possibly out of state. University Loft Co. CEO James N. Jannetides said he
was continually rebuffed over a months-long process to get the tax incentives his company needed to bring 200-plus jobs to
the county directly east of Marion County. Now Jannetides said he might look to consolidate manufacturing in Tennessee where
he opened a plant...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: We need to push harder to foster a tech economy
November 14, 2005
Patrick BarkeyYou have to give the folks at Techpoint, the advocacy group for technology-oriented business in Indiana, plenty of credit
for stamina. For eight years, these f o r wa r d - l o o k i n g folks have been carefully measuring the state's progress
in what was once called the high-tech economy. And for each of those eight years, the message has been depressingly consistent:
We remain at the back of the pack. That's not for lack...
MoreHammond Kennedy Whitney buys centrifuge maker: Investment allows Midwest Engineered Products to expand sales and marketing
November 14, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerSometimes, a profitable product isn't enough to sustain a company's growth. That's what financial partners are for. Consider
Midwest Engineered Products Corp. Founded in 1982 with a $1,000 investment by Jim Beattey and his son Jeff, the locally based
industrial centrifugemaker has grown since then on bank loans and its own profits. These days, it brings in annual revenue
of $10 million, with sales as far away as Europe and New Zealand. "We were having trouble keeping up with the...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Talent, education are keys in competitive field of design
November 7, 2005
Tony Mediate"Individuals with little or no formal education in design, as well as those who lack creativity and perseverance, will find
it very difficult to establish and maintain a career in the occupation," warns the department through its currently posted
Bureau of Labor Statistics Outlook. While I do suggest that designers of the future should take their career outlook seriously
given the current and expected competition, I certainly would not want to discourage them. Creativity and perseverance are
among those traits,...
MoreThere's more to logistics than forklifts and sweat: Colleges offer degrees for white-collar jobs in the field
October 31, 2005
Chris O\'malleyIt's not sexy, but it's where the jobs are. Ivy Tech Community College will offer an associate's degree in logistics management,
the latest effort in Indiana aimed at cultivating a work force for the transportation-distribution-logistics sector, known
as TDL. Meanwhile, the University of Indianapolis is preparing a concentration in supply chain management that will have key
applications in logistics careers. Experts say the educational push is sorely needed, yet it's still a challenge to get young
people interested in the...
MoreStartups offered a fast track: Motorsports-themed incubator gets green light in Brownsburg
October 31, 2005
Matthew KishHendricks County officials hope a new business incubator there revs the engines of local entrepreneurs. The motorsports-themed
facility, to be known as Fast-Start, got the green light after a year-long feasibility study concluded the project was a logical
fit for a community that already houses Prudhomme Racing, John Force Racing and Bill Simpson's Impact Racing. "It would help
achieve some of our goals in Brownsburg," said Jeanette Baker, town council president and treasurer of the Hendricks County
Economic Development Partnership,...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: State's economy humming, so why do we feel gloomy?
October 31, 2005
Patrick BarkeyThe days are shorter, the temperatures are colder, and the leaves are falling off the trees. For most normal people, that
means it's time to start carving pumpkins, planning for holidays, or even watching the World Series. But for economists, it
means something else entirely. It is the beginning of forecasting season. It's a time when organizations of all kinds are
thinking about what they can expect in the coming year. For most of us, the state of the economy...
MoreSomerset enjoying freedom: Firm grew under First Indiana, but independence brings control, president says
October 31, 2005
Scott OlsonLeaders of Somerset CPAs PC are soaking in the single life, one year after they split from First Indiana Corp. Twenty-one
Somerset partners bought the assets of the accounting firm from the locally based public company on Oct. 25, 2004, ending
a four-year relationship in which bad timing contributed more to the breakup than bad karma. The corporation is the holding
company of First Indiana Bank. At a time when the Sarbanes-Oxley Act mandates auditor independence, Somerset President Patrick
Early,...
MoreLathering up for a buyout?: Local hair care products biz Kenra could fetch $80 million
October 24, 2005
Anthony SchoettleKenra LLC, a locally based hair-care products manufacturer that has nearly tripled its revenue in six years, is looking for
a buyer. New York-based Giulliani Capital Advisors LLC is helping the 76-year-old company find a suitor, according to sources
familiar with the situation. Kenra reported its annual sales doubled last year to $80 million on the strength of a new line
called Kenra Platinum, an upscale haircare collection. Company officials told Women's Wear Daily in March sales could increase
another...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Bankruptcy of Delphi Corp. isn't all bad news for state
October 24, 2005
Patrick BarkeyThe long-anticipated bankruptcy filing of Delphi Corp. has sparked yet another discussion of the viability of manufacturing
as a pillar of the Indiana economy. Such discussions, unfortunately, have become commonplace in many communities across the
state in the last 10 years, in the wake of other troubling developments. Most of us know the face of manufacturing has changed
across the state, but to see the world's largest auto-parts manufacturer-once part of mighty General Motors Corp. itself-succumb
to this fate is...
MoreIn a race for robotics: Crash doesn't quell Jones' hope of building new industry
October 17, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerOne day in the not-so-distant future, robot drones will drive the military's supply vehicles through dangerous war zones.
They'll pilot tractors across farm fields and steer plows as they scrape snowy highways. Automatic cars will even whisk you
to and from work. High-tech entrepreneur Scott Jones, 44, believes with a zealot's fervor this all will happen. More than
a gee-whiz observer, the man who helped invent voice mail hopes to establish a robotic vehicle business-and ultimately the
robotic vehicle industry-in...
MorePathway to growth: Production firm's storytelling attracts national attention
October 10, 2005
Anthony SchoettleDespite a wall lined with Emmy Awards and a client list including ESPN and VH1, Pathway Productions founder Michael Husain
is as eager to talk about corporate work and Web site development as his firm's latest Peyton Manning documentary or his work
showcased in this year's Heartland Film Festival. "The new media side of our business, and that includes Web site development,
grew 100 percent in each of the last two years," Husain said. "So you can see why we're...
MoreBacking home again: CID changes out-of-state course, invests $50M in Indiana
October 10, 2005
Peter SchnitzlerIndiana's flagship venture capital firm has changed direction. Often criticized for not investing frequently enough within
state lines, CID Equity Partners over the last five years has quietly put nearly $50 million to work in 10 Indiana companies.
In the decade before, CID invested in just a half-dozen local deals. And after struggling to weather the 2001 recession, CID's
managers believe the wind is finally at their back. Three years ago, massive losses threatened to sink the firm. Since then,...
MoreChild-safety concerns lead to new division: Company uses R&D to manufacture innovative car seat
October 10, 2005
Anthony SchoettleIndiana Mills & Manufacturing Inc. is creating a new division, launching a new product, and cutting a new path straight to
retail consumers. It's a big departure from the 45-year-old company's historical path to profitability. Westfield-based IMMI
has long made its money supplying a lengthy list of manufacturers and distributors in the transportation and heavy-equipment
sectors with its innovative seat belts, rollover systems for heavy trucks, and restraint systems for school buses and on-
and off-road commercial vehicles. But company...
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These higher rates Co. e about only because physicians are now hospital employees. otherwise physicians couldn't charge these rates and share the windfall with the hospital. Community/rural hospitals probably not buying physicians practices and thus weren't getting the windfall anyway.
The incentive for poor people to get themselves off public assistance and "no longer be poor" is even with help...they're STILL POOR! Being poor, even with some assistance, isn't all that pleasant. (I speak from experience) It's a stubborn myth that poor people, who are on public assistance, are sitting in the lap of luxury. You should try living on just those "freebies" that you mentioned and see how meager they actually are. By the way, I didn't mean you had to buy/own a puppy...just pet one. :)
As near as I can tell the minority has ZERO constitutional obligation to offer a quorum to the majority. A requirement for quorum was inserted into the constitution so that tyrannical majorities could not simply shove through odious and objectionable legislation (which is exactly what they did.) By allowing a tyrannical majority to charge fines against the minority for exercising their constitutional prerogative to deny quorum the court as made a mockery of constitutional governance in the state of Indiana.
The voters elected the Reps to make a vote not walk out on the vote. They had to the right to exercise their opinion and vote "no" to the bill. Let me ask you this if you walked out of your job for 5 straight weeks would you get paid? Would you even have a job to go back to? If any elected official walks out on the people they should be arrested for stealing tax dollars from the public. They were elected to do a job and not leave when the job gets stuff.
I have been to several of their locations in Pennsylvania and always go in for 1 item and leave with a basket full of things. I'm very happy they decided on Indiana, now if only they would put the other store in eastside.