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MadREP Report: August 17, 2016
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Community Highlight: Evansville hits growth mode, with Stoughton Trailers leading the way
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Downtown Evansville, WI
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The
City of Evansville in Rock County is home to 5,124 residents and more than 150 businesses, including four major manufacturers. Uniquely located between Madison and Janesville, the city boasts highly educated residents and an active entrepreneurial environment. Small businesses in Evansville such as
The Vintage Roost and
Union Bank & Trust are in growth mode, and Building Improvement Grants that assist business owners with façade restorations are making an impact on its historic downtown. The city's Revolving Loan Fund has a new streamlined process that will focus on entrepreneurs and small business owners to further support these important components of the economy. The City and the
Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce have partnered to complete 100+ business meet-and-greets this summer in their commitment to helping local companies succeed and grow.
Stoughton Trailers, one of the region's leading manufacturers, established its Diversified Trailer Products Division in Evansville, where custom trailers as well as unique and smaller-run orders are made. Today, the Evansville facility employs 90 full-time workers, and the company is in the process of adding a second shift which is expected to more than double employment to 200 by this time next year.
"Evansville is the ideal location for Stoughton Trailers to expand its business," said Rick Craven, President of the Diversified Trailer Products Division of Stoughton Trailers. "We have an excellent facility in which we're investing with capital equipment while also developing our new product line. The close proximity to our Stoughton and Brodhead facilities provide us with easy access to engineering and manufacturing resources. The capable, productive workforce in Evansville and Rock County will be valuable to us as we recruit additional employees to meet our production demands."
Thank you to Jason Sergeant, Community Development Director at the City of Evansville, and Brick Road PR for contributing to this community highlight.
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WEDC Insights: International Opportunities in China
In 2015, Wisconsin's exports to China totaled $1.5 billion, making it the state's leading trade partner outside of North America. An increasingly urbanized Chinese middle class is seeking high-quality, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly and safe products. The primary changes in China will include wider use of machines and technology in manufacturing, as well as a focus on alleviating environmental contamination and improving health care services. As a result, Wisconsin companies in the manufacturing, biotechnology and biomedical sectors could look to China for business opportunities.
Learn more about growing your business in China.
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Rayovac celebrates 110 years, including 50+ in Portage
What often surprises people about Rayovac -- a division of Spectrum Brands -- in Portage is learning just how long it's been around. The 110,00 square-foot plant's first battery was made in downtown Portage in 1964 -- before the plant manager, Dave Young, was even born. The company, headquartered in Middleton, has 225 employees and is celebrating its 110th anniversary this year. An estimated 5 billion zinc air cell batteries have been made in Portage since 1982, and with competitors leaving the market, Rayovac will soon be the only zinc air manufacturer in the U.S. Rayovac's success in Portage wouldn't be possible without the community and its employees, said Sr. VP and general manager of global batteries and appliances for Spectrum Brands Steve Fraundorfer. "We believe in this company. We believe in this state. We hope the community can see that."
Inside Innovation:
WARF, UW-Madison again rank in top 10 universities for U.S. patents
Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) and UW-Madison were ranked 7th among the world's universities in U.S. patents issued in 2015 in a report by the National Academy of Investors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Credited with 161 new patents,
leading categories of patents included pharmaceuticals and drug discovery, medical imaging, materials and chemicals, information technology and clean technology. "This is welcome news," said general counsel of WARF Michael Falk, "and it reflects the combination of an outstanding research university and a top tier intellectual property organization." UW-Madison has performed well in
other recent rankings, including placing 28th in the world in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, being named one of
Forbes magazine's Top Colleges in the U.S., ranking 25th worldwide by the Center for World University Rankings, and recognition as one of only three public universities that made the top 10 list of colleges that produce the most Fortune 500 CEOs.
Read more.
Business Expansion:
Ho-Chunk to spend $153M for casino expansion, new hotels
The Ho-Chunk Nation announced plans this week to spend $153M to expand three of its casino sites in Wisconsin, including the flagship casino in Wisconsin Dells, with work scheduled to start in September. "It's a win-win for everyone when we can create more jobs throughout Wisconsin and add more value to our guests' experience," said Ho-Chunk Nation President Wilfrid Cleveland. The Wisconsin Dells' expansion will include new off-track betting and poker rooms, a renovated bingo area, and a new hotel main entrance and lobby. About 100 new jobs are expected to be created, adding to the existing 3,400 Ho-Chunk Nation workforce.
Read more.
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Regional Economy:
JCEDC Hires New Executive Director
The Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) has a new Executive Director: Victoria Pratt. Formerly with the WEDC, Pratt will join JCEDC in early September. Her most recent work as Sector Development Director at WEDC focused on placing strategic investments in the state to support and grow businesses engaged in advanced manufacturing and defense-related manufacturing. Pratt joins JCEDC at a critical point in time, as the organization will be embarking on the area's first capital campaign to engage the region's private sector in collaborative economic development work. In addition to the capital campaign, the new JCEDC Director will be charged with developing an expanded economic development board of directors that coincides with the formation of a public-private nonprofit organization, the Glacial Heritage Development Partnership. This expanded group will oversee the 5-year strategic initiative slated to launch in early 2017.
Company Profile:
UW-Madison spinoff releases latest education game -- aimed at fractions
Madison maker of educational games -- Filament Games -- has just published Diffision, a visual game to teach fractions to middle schoolers, joining 13 other games in Filament's library. The company sells individual games on the web, but its marketing strategy focuses on licensing the library of games to schools or school districts, and the Sun Prairie school district bought a district-wide license for all students in August 2015. In 2007, co-founders Alex Stone and Daniel Norton presented an ocean science game they were working on at a conference, after which they were approached by the Marion Ewing Kauffman Foundation about plans to build a curriculum on ocean science. The $1 million grant from Kauffman allowed Filament to hire staff and figure out how to be a real company. Filament now has 40 full time employees, many of them educated at UW-Madison and UW-Whitewater. Filament emerged with UW-Madison's games for learning research program.
Startup Scene:
gBETA Graduates 10 Startups, Announces New Program in Beloit
Last week, Jessica Chapin of Drive Assured pitched her startup to an audience of investors, entrepreneurs, and other members of Wisconsin's early stage business community as part of an event marking the end of the latest gBETA program. gBETA -- a free, six-week accelerator for start
ups affiliated with colleges and universities in Wisconsin -- launched in July 2015 and now counts 24 graduates across five classes. The programs are managed by gener8tor, a Wisconsin-based startup accelerator. This fall, gBETA will debut in two metropolitan areas: Minneapolis/St. Paul and Beloit, WI. While Beloit might be a surprise to some, observers of the state's technology scene see potential in Beloit.
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Congratulations to the Madison Region companies that were among the ten winners of the 2016 Wisconsin Innovation Awards:
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2016 Forward Fest
August 18-25
Various locations, Madison
Join fellow professionals from the Midwest in a celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship. Find out more and be sure to check out the 8/24-8/26 Edible Startup Summit, the GLS Conference from 8/17-8/19, and Badger Startup Summit on 8/22.
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WIN Luncheon: Value of intellectual property to economy
August 23, 11:30am-1:30pm
Sheraton Hotel, Madison
The topic of the upcoming Wisconsin Innovation Network luncheon is the possible changes being considered in Congress to the U.S. patent system and the potential effects on innovation, especially for tech-based businesses. Learn more. |
Wisconsin Manufacturers Roundtable: Planning for Retirement
September 9, 7:30-10:30am
MATC, Madison
Designed for business owners and executive decision makers, this roundtable will be an informative and insightful discussion on how small business owners can achieve retirement goals for themselves and their employees.
Find out more.
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MITA: U.S. Trade Policy in an Election year
September 13, 11:30am-2pm
M3 Insurance Building, Madison
International trade policy has become part of the election year campaign discussion. Join Madison International Trade Association to hear from two experts who will separate rhetoric from reality.
Register by 9/6 for the early bird rate.
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Preventative Controls Qualified Individual (PQQI) Workshop
September 13-15
Bridgewood Resort, Neenah
Upon successful completion of this two-day workshop, you will be able to meet the Food Safety Modernization Act requirements for PCQI at your facility as well as write your food safety plan. Learn more. |
Value Added Feed Ingredients Buyers Mission at the 2016 World Dairy Expo
October 4-6
Alliant Energy Center, Madison
Meet with pre-qualified buyers from around the world at this buyers mission conducted by Food Export-Midwest and WI DATCP.
Register by 8/19
for the early bird rate.
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Thanks to UW Health and to all of our investors.
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