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Manufacturing & Technology
Indiana's Red Gold has become a tomato-industry big boy
August 28, 2006
Anthony SchoettleTwenty years ago, the only thing coming out of Red Gold Inc.'s small Orestes plant was diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato
puree. The processor now makes products that sell in all 50 states and 16 countries under its brand or private labels.
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: State employment growth is weaker than you think
August 28, 2006
Patrick BarkeyThere's a real buzz about job growth in Indiana these days. Announcements of job creation, big and small, are echoing through
the business media, and many economic development officials tell us their phones are ringing with calls from new prospects
at a rate they haven't seen in years. Yet the data used by most of us to track job growth tell a slightly more sobering story.
The 2.94 million workers on Indiana payrolls in July, as reported by the Department...
MoreLean manufacturers take stock of accounting innovation: Fishers company optimistic movement will gain favor
August 28, 2006
Anthony SchoettleThe leanest aspect of lean manufacturing is moving from the shop floor to the accounting office, where a new recordkeeping
system is gaining a following. Proponents of so-called lean accounting say it's better than traditional accounting at measuring
the cost savings and efficiencies of lean manufacturing, a business-improvement strategy that shortens the time between customer
order and shipment. Instead of simply looking at inventory levels and sales numbers as traditional accounting does, lean accounting
measures things such as worker productivity...
MoreDuty in Iraq inspires reservist's invention: Mtek founder hoping face mask will save lives
August 21, 2006
Scott OlsonImpressed with the design, which military personnel admitted was years ahead of what's now in use, the Army's Soldier Systems
Center purchased 10 of the prototypes Aug. 1 for testing. Mahan, 23, of Martinsville, ultimately hopes to create manufacturing
jobs in Indiana by mass-producing the face masks for the military and law-enforcement agencies. With the help of his father,
cousin and close friend, he's formed Mtek Weapon Systems to start the process. "It's definitely a radical departure from anything
that's...
MoreBULLS & BEARS: Fuss over our trade deficit is much ado about nothing
August 21, 2006
Dave GilreathI'll preface this column by telling you I am not an economist, just an observer. How many times have you heard a sobering
news report on the trade deficit? The gist of these reports is that the deficit will weaken the dollar, cause all kinds of
job losses, and be the ruin of our economy. The typical deficit TV news report begins with a picture of some old, rusty U.S.
factory. It closes with video clips of construction cranes building...
MoreFranklin manufacturer benefits from high petroleum costs
August 14, 2006
Anthony SchoettleIncreased oil and natural gas prices are hammering many manufacturers, but Franklin-based Grimmer Industries Inc. is flying
high. Grimmer specializes in making Hurricane brand air compressors and compressor boosters used in oil and natural gas well
drilling and aggregate mining.
MoreJones' ChaCha IT firm to have human touch
August 14, 2006
Peter SchnitzlerFor the last eight months, Indiana's resident high-tech guru has been quietly developing a new IT firm. Few details have been
leaked to the public. But in September, a national media blitz will announce the launch of ChaCha Search Inc., Jones' new
human-assisted Internet search engine.
MoreMoving lessons from classrooms to boardrooms: MBA students get firsthand experience with startups
July 31, 2006
Victoria D.No matter how many bold and italicized words scholars cram into textbooks, nothing compares to students rolling up their sleeves
and testing a theory themselves. For years, Indiana University's Kelley School of Business has offered its Bloomington MBA
candidates real-world experience through so-called "academies" focused on specific industries. Now Kelley Indianapolis' evening
MBA program is set to launch a scaled-back version for its students. This fall, it will offer three such "enterprise" programs,
including one with an entrepreneurial emphasis. The...
MoreVIEWPOINT: Indiana ripe for new breed of auto industry
July 31, 2006
Robert A.Landing the Honda plant is a great coup for Indiana. Gov. Mitch Daniels deserves congratulations. Not only will Honda employ
an estimated 2,000 Hoosiers, it appears the governor secured the facility at a bargain price for Indiana's taxpayers. While
the plant brings much-needed employment, future wealth created from Honda's production accrues to its primarily Japanese shareholders.
This is only fair, as Japanese automakers have innovated, invested and expanded over the past 30 years. They have earned their
success and deserve...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Too much manufacturing is not Indiana's problem
July 24, 2006
Morton MarcusWe know that, relative to the United States, Indiana is neither a rich state nor one growing with vigor. Two weeks ago in
this space, I discussed our more recent employment experiences. A friend read the column and asked, "How much of our lack
of job growth is due to the slump or collapse in manufacturing jobs?" Nationally, only three states (Nevada, and the Dakotas)
had any gain in manufacturing jobs between May 2001 and May 2006. Alaska and Wyoming...
MoreMainSource grabs opportunities for growth: Greensburg-based bank not shy about acquisitions
July 24, 2006
Scott OlsonHonda Motor Co.'s decision to build a massive auto manufacturing plant near Greensburg has the small Decatur County town abuzz
with excitement. But a company already entrenched there is making some noise of its own. MainSource Financial Group Inc. has
increased assets an impressive 50 percent during the past year largely due to four acquisitions made by the publicly traded
bank holding company. "We're a little opportunistic," admitted MainSource President and CEO James Saner. "We really want to
grow, give...
MoreFirm may hold key to earlier detection: Startup lands grants for breast cancer biomarker
July 17, 2006
Scott OlsonLinda Malkas' arrival at the Indiana University School of Medicine four years ago is beginning to look like a coup for the
city's life sciences initiative. Armed with promising cancer research, Malkas helped found CS-Keys Inc., which last month
received a $285,000 infusion from BioCrossroads' Indiana Seed Fund and is poised to net a similar investment July 17 from
Triathlon Medical Ventures in Cincinnati. The additional capital is critical to the startup's continuing development of a
biomarker that detects breast...
MoreNew business incubator is made for minorities
July 17, 2006
Scott OlsonBlack business owner Bob Logan is one of four entrepreneurs chosen by the Indiana Business Diversity Council as inaugural
tenants of its unusual new incubator, which caters solely to minority-owned businesses.
MoreBRIAN WILLIAMS Commentary:
July 10, 2006
On June 1, Gov. Mitch Daniels and officials from the Indiana Public Employees Retirement Fund announced the Indiana Investment
Fund, a $100 million investment vehicle. The fund will invest in early-stage startups and loans to mature firms. It will invest
in Indiana-What's wrong with local investment pros? based agriculture, manufacturing, information technology, transportation
and life sciences companies. Credit Suisse was selected to manage this new fund. As a global investment bank, Credit Suisse
certainly has skilled bankers who can evaluate...
MoreWork still elusive for people with disabilities: Employment rates remain stagnant even though a wealth of programs are finding
success placing workers
July 3, 2006
Scott OlsonThe lesson Amy Kurzekwa taught the folks at the downtown Gregory & Appel Insurance agency reaches far beyond what they learned
about premiums and deductibles. Since 1992, she has taken the bus to her job there as a clerical assistant, performing such
tasks as sorting and delivering the office mail and filling the copy machines. While most anyone can do that, Kurzekwa, 37,
is irreplaceable to her co-workers. Her role in opening their eyes to the fact that people with...
MoreHonda poses pay dilemma: New auto plant's higher wages likely to force other employers to pay up or lose workers
July 3, 2006
Chris O\'malleyGREENSBURG-Companies from Cincinnati to Indianapolis hoping to drive home business from Honda Motor Co.'s 2,000-employee plant
might want to watch for an economic pothole hiding up the road. Giant auto plants plopped onto the prairie, while buying hundreds
of millions of dollars in goods and services from companies in the state, also tend to swallow workers from established employers.
That likely will force some Indiana employers to jack up wages and benefits to retain and attract workers pining to wear...
MoreCarmel firm grows up in emerging market: BlueBean acquisition makes it one-stop RFID shop
July 3, 2006
Anthony SchoettleA small Indiana firm is looking to become a big player in the emerging radio-frequency-identification market. Carmel-based
BlueBean LLC is one of a small but growing number of firms nationally that provide consulting services to companies trying
to set up systems using radio frequency identification-commonly called RFID-tags and readers. BlueBean in April acquired Mishawakabased
www.rfidsupplychain.com, which sells RFID hardware and software online. The acquisition also provided BlueBean rights to a
bevy of other domain names, including www.rfidhealthcare.com, www.rfidpharma.comand www.rfidfood.com. The...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Tattoos aren't only things we hide
July 3, 2006
Morton MarcusI admit I don't understand the world in which I live. For example, a study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology
reports that 24 percent of Americans age 18 to 50 have one or more tattoos. That rises to 36 percent when we look at just
those 18 to 29. I don't get it. Is this body art, a message to the world, a commitment to oneself or someone else? Tattoos
do fill in all that empty...
MorePact with automakers puts firm in fast lane: Battery pioneer signs deal with big three alliance, hopes to push technology
for hybrid cars to market
June 26, 2006
Anthony SchoettleA deal with the big-three U.S. automakers has positioned an Indianapolis manufacturer to be one of the leading battery providers
for domestically made hybrid vehicles. EnerDel Inc., which employs 35 at its 8740 Hague Road headquarters, recently signed
a deal to provide technology for hybrid-vehicle batteries to a consortium formed by DaimlerChrysler Corp., Ford Motor Corp.
and General Motors Corp. EnerDel is a joint venture between two publicly traded firms, F l o r i d a - b a...
MoreAquaculture industry set to cast bigger net: Ag officials hope Indiana spawns more fish farmers
June 26, 2006
Scott OlsonForrest Gump owned a shrimp boat. Tim and Julie Connor have a shrimp farm instead. The couple, who live on 22 acres near Monrovia,
are in their third season raising prawn, or large shrimp, from a pond on their property. The $4,000 they earned last year
from selling 350 pounds of the crustaceans to the public is hardly enough to cause Tim, 47, to retire from the job he's held
at Allison Transmission for 28 years. But if the sideline...
MoreCar event 'astonishing': In 4th year, local show already one of nation's largest
June 19, 2006
Anthony SchoettleEconomic development leaders and corporate executives thought Roger Brummett was spinning his wheels when he launched a classic
car show in Indianapolis four years ago. But Brummett and partner Tim Durham find themselves at the wheel of such a fastgrowing
enterprise that they hope to expand it into a multiday event, with an auction and classic-car race, that they believe would
draw 100,000 attendees. The pair also plans to replicate the show in other markets, starting in Naples, Fla., in...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Motor-vehicle jobs: a path to the future?
June 12, 2006
Patrick BarkeyWould landing a new Honda plant be a plus for the Indiana economy? You bet it would. In fact, it's hard to think of any similar-size
investment that holds the same immediate potential for supporting additional jobs beyond those inside the plant walls. The
project scores well on just about every objective measure you can come up with to assess its attractiveness. It draws on skills
and occupations Indiana already has. Its activities hold great promise for new business for...
MoreRegional partnerships called key to making it: Purdue urges state manufacturers to join supply chain
June 12, 2006
Anthony SchoettleGrowing global competition is bringing local manufacturers together. And the definition of local is changing from around the
corner to within 500 miles. Officials from Purdue University have conducted a series of manufacturing summits encouraging
Indiana plants to tear down their separatist walls and become an integrated part of regional supply chains. "Supplier-based
manufacturing is based on long-term relationships in a 500-mile radius, so we need to think about Indiana manufacturing regionally,"
said John Sullivan, director of Purdue's Center for...
MoreGeographic restrictions could backfire for PERF: $105 million fund carries lots of potential, risks
June 12, 2006
Peter SchnitzlerBy restricting the new $105 million Indiana Investment Fund I to deals within state lines, Gov. Mitch Daniels hopes to simultaneously
spur economic development and earn a spectacular return for Indiana's retired public employees. But venture-capital experts
warn it's nearly impossible to have it both ways. "You need to be very, very clear what your objectives are when you invest
[pension] money. Is it for economic development or to help the pensioners earn better pensions?" said John Taylor, vice president...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: What if we moved the elderly out of state?
June 12, 2006
Morton Marcus"Don't write about this," Sid Simpleton told me. He is the state's social policy director. "People who have recently experienced
the loss of a loved one do not like death discussed without appropriate gravity." "I'll warn them not to read the column if
they have recently had such a loss," I said. Sipping gin and tonics on a warm spring afternoon does make the troubles of the
world seem less serious. "OK, if you think it's safe," Sid said. "This...
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In my opinion the estridge companies are crooks. They filed bankruptcy on their 'track housing' side of the business two weeks before they closed on one of my clients' homes. When my client first interviewed Estridge as a builder 6 months before, they specifically ASKED about the solvency of their business, knowing that some builders were struggling. Estridge truly misrepresented their financial situation at that time. I suppose I am more unhappy with the whole system than I am with the builder because what the heck==you can file bankruptcy on 'track homes' but still keep building and make money off of 'custom built' homes??? How ridiculous! They are all homes. How can a company be allowed to bilk thousands of dollars from their subcontractors but still be allowed to build houses?? they should have been made to pay back all their unpaid contractors before being allowed to profit from building any more houses! This alone makes them and the system crooks in my eyes. I would never build an estridge home and I would not recommend for my clients either. If they were truly 'bankrupt' how could they afford to keep building homes anyway??? The whole system needs fixed.
I live a couple blocks east of the Angie's campus and my house is assessed for ~$160,000. If I could get that amount, let alone $384,000 (a 140% bonus), I'd sell in a minute. Either Angie's stockholders just got fleeced, or Angie's is getting about a 58% discount on their property taxes, if these properties are actually worth what they paid Mr. Oesterle for them. Which do you think is the case?
Perhaps the IMA board is really to blame! They agreed to hire Charles. They can't seemingly find donors among themselves, or bring in new blood that will support the museums operating budget with an expanded museum and money to provide curators with something to do (ie buy art). The headlines of disarray at the museum and mass firings are hurting the reputation of the museum for some time to come. If people on the board had misgivings, perhaps they shpuld have more forcefully opposed efforts that they have seemingly been unable to fund, like expansion and the costs it has created!
See, I told u Indyman and Dipsicle....this 8 days is overkill. It's barely worth a weekend....great job Tony George! Your dream has been fulfilled....he fans want the I r l back. Thats how good it was.....and that sucked.
I have been in training for a short time now but right off I can see that safety and quality are the number one issues, my experience as of late has been a positive one, the employees along with Jeff the plant manager and the operation supervisor as well as the engineers are a highly motivated group of people, what an asset for the area to have and for company's in need of a quality metal products.