blog

A new focus on start-up companies

Thu, 10 May 2012 09:16:08 -0500

The Wisconsin Angel & Seed Acceleration Program - or ASAP! - will be leveraged with private-sector investments to significantly increase funding to talented entrepreneurs in a much more timely manner than what presently exists. Rather than grants, the leveraged co-investment from ASAP! will be in the form of equity with profits returned directly to the state. This will facilitate a much more efficient path to getting promising opportunities launched and growing.

Click here to read more online.

UW-Sheboygan's aquaponics lab gives students new perspective on growing food

Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:43:14 -0500

When you plant your garden, do you expect to get vines taller than you are in a matter of weeks? You might if you use fish.The University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan's aquaponics lab — a closed ecosystem that uses nothing but fish, water and bacteria to grow plants — is giving students a whole new look at how to grow food indoors in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.

Click here to read the full story online.

Aurora to open Sheboygan County's first NICU

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:35:49 -0500

Aurora Sheboygan Memorial Medical Center has announced that next month it will open the county's first neonatal intensive care unit, which will keep premature babies and their families from traveling to Green Bay and Milwaukee for care.The new unit will serve babies born at 32 weeks or later that require more intensive treatments, including respiratory care, antibiotic therapy and various diagnostic testing.

Click here to read the full story online.

Renewable incentives will favor biomass, biogas over wind, solar

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:44:37 -0500

The state Focus on Energy program will target its renewable energy funding toward biomass and biogas technologies, leaving fewer dollars available for wind energy and solar projects.

The Public Service Commission set a funding level of $10 million a year to provide incentives for renewable energy projects. But most of the 2012 budget has been committed to projects that were awarded incentives last year.

As a result, less than $3 million remains available to be awarded this year.

Click here to read the full story online.

J.L. French CEO: Ownership change will have positive impact on Sheboygan operation

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:10:20 -0500

The CEO of Sheboygan-based J.L. French Automotive Castings, Inc., said Friday that the pending sale of the company to a Mexican automotive components supplier should bring long-term stability and growth to the company’s Sheboygan operations. The sale to Tenedora Nemak S.A. de C. V., a subsidiary of ALFA S.A.B. de C.V., was announced Thursday and is expected to close by mid-August, pending regulatory approval. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Click here to read the full story online.

American Orthodontics set to begin move to former Thomas Products plant

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:13:00 -0500

The Sheboygan Plan Commission has given the go-ahead on a plan for Sheboygan-based American Orthodontics to remodel the former Thomas Products factory into its new headquarters.

Click here to read the full story online.

J.L. French, Dutchland Plastics, Dairy Farmers of America share $164K grant

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:08:57 -0500

Three local companies will share $164,122 in Workforce Advancement Training grants from the State of Wisconsin.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch made the official announcement in Sheboygan on Thursday during a visit and tour of the Taylor Plant of J.L. French Automotive Castings, Inc., 3101 S. Taylor Drive.

J.L. French, Dutchland Plastics, and Dairy Farmers of America of Sheboygan County are sharing the grant, which officials said will increase productivity, safety, and profitability at the companies and enhance their employees' skills.

Click here to read the full story online.

Governor Signs Bill for Angel Investment Program

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:11:21 -0500

MADISON, April 5, 2012 – Governor Scott Walker today signed Senate Bill 463 into law, legislation that makes improvements to the state’s Angel Investment and Early Stage Investment Tax Credit Program.

The program spurs private investment in early-stage businesses, fostering job creation and new business growth across the state.

“The legislation strengthens one of the nation’s leading angel and early stage investment tax credit programs,” said Governor Walker. “These changes provide additional protections to taxpayers and modernize the program to better meet the needs of entrepreneurs and investors.”

The legislation allows the state to recapture the value of tax credits from companies who move out-of-state within three years of receiving investments that qualify for tax credits under the program. The bill also modifies the criteria the WEDC can use for recertifying a company for participation in the program after it had been approved for tax credits. It would allow WEDC to recertify a company if has over 100 employees or has been in operation more than 10 years, because some companies still fit the mold of an early stage company, regardless of the number of employees.

The angel investment tax credit program allows a taxpayer to claim a tax credit that equals 25 percent of an angel investment made directly in a qualified new business venture, which is certified by the WEDC. Since 2005, 195 entrepreneurial companies have been certified to receive tax credit assistance, which has leveraged more than $163 million in investment in those companies and affected 930 new jobs.

Governor Walker thanked the authors of the bill, Sen. Joe Leibham (R-Sheboygan) and Rep. Mike Kuglitsch (R-New Berlin) for their work in bringing the legislation to his desk

Council OKs $250,000 to dredge inner harbor

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:11:16 -0500

The Sheboygan Common Council on Wednesday unanimously approved spending $250,000 to help dredge tainted sediment from the Sheboygan River's inner harbor east of the Eighth Street Bridge.The money will come from the city's undesignated reserve fund and will match another $250,000 pledged to the project last month by the Sheboygan County Board. The funds are necessary to match a $1.5 million Department of Transportation Harbor Assistance Program grant that will pay for trucking 170,000 cubic yards of sediment dredged from that part of the river to a landfill in Menomonee Falls.

Click here to read the full story online.

Sargento expansion will add 50 jobs

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:51:24 -0500

HILBERT — Sargento Foods announced plans to expand its facility in Hilbert 30,000 square feet at a cost of $12 million.The company in a statement said the addition is needed to expand production space for its growing sauce business. The expansion is expected to create up to 50 new jobs over the next five years.

Click here to read the full story online.

Business grows, Acuity expanding

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:42:04 -0500

Acuity announced Monday it plans to hire 50 new employees at its Sheboygan headquarters and elsewhere in its 20-state operation as the insurer is seeing rapid sales growth. Nearly all of the new positions will be in Sheboygan, according to Paul Miller, the company's communications director, marking the first time in several years the company has expanded its payroll here.

Click here to read the full story.

UW Oshkosh promotes local aviation

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:08:15 -0600

The aviation and aerospace industry in Wisconsin is quickly taking off as one of the state's strongest industries and is happening in UW Oshkosh's own backyard.

"There have been a couple of studies that have been done recently that show that aircraft manufacturing and aircraft maintenance and the support services around that, are an emerging cluster," co-founder/director of AeroInnovate Meridith Jaeger said. "They are important to (Wisconsin's) economy and the growth of our economy, and those are areas we should target our resources."

As a trademark and service of UW Oshkosh, AeroInnovate is a UW Oshkosh initiative that was developed in 2008 with the idea of pushing the aviation industry to new heights, according to Jaeger.

"We help connect entrepreneurs in aviation," co-founder/director of AeroInnovate Kurt Waldhuetter said. "We educate them, we try to alight and connect them with investors and industry leaders to help commercialize their technologies. We give them venues to showcase and tell others what they are doing."

Wisconsin aviation and aerospace exports, which Jaeger said totaled $246 million in 2010, are growing partly due to the shift of airplanes' use from professional to personal.

"A lot of what aviation is turning into is somewhat like an action sport now," Waldhuetter said. "People are buying aircraft to have a lot of fun in, not as a vehicle they need to fly around for business. What we think we help do is bring new technologies into the aviation marketplace that otherwise might not be in the aviation marketplace."

To make connections, AeroInnovate has used the inflow of investors and businesses from Oshkosh's annual Experimental Aircraft Association air show, which Waldhuetter said brought in more than 550,000 attendees last summer.

"EAA is certainly one of the primary sales and marketing channels for any startup aviation-related company," he said. "It's where they come and do the sales of their aircraft or they sell new products or components."

Brian Morgan, co-founder and CEO of Morgan Aircraft LLC, located in Oostburg, Wis., said he understands how business-investor connections can help the growth of a startup.

"What they've done is just a fantastic job of facilitating networking events and a presence at the EAA has been huge," Morgan said. "They've done that and how they help us out, specifically more in aircraft, is simply inviting us to be involved in all of those."

During AeroInnovate's 2011 EAA Pitch and Mingle event, Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. CEO Paul Jadin announced the state's multi-million dollar investment in Morgan Aircraft.

"That's huge for us, there is no mistaking that," Morgan said. "It is a very aggressive and excellent support package for us, and it has definitely helped investors take us more seriously."

The package, which Morgan said could be worth up to $30 million in 10 years, includes up to $15 million for employee training, payroll tax breaks and a 50-cent-to-the-dollar match of all private investments.

"The cash amount is pretty significant," Morgan said. "It's matching dollars up to $6 million. So if we bring in $12 million of private equity, they would match that for us with six. We've already engaged that and seen some of that."

Morgan Aircraft, which is engineering a VTOL jet aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing technologies, is an example of many companies that could turn design into product and lift Wisconsin's economy, according to Jaeger.

"[Entrepreneurs] will continue to grow their company, and once they have an opportunity to create a manufacturing facility and to start selling whatever they're selling, they are going to need workers, and that's going to create jobs," she said. "There are a lot of companies in the industry – those startups – that have potential for high growth and high numbers of jobs."

Jaeger said airplane manufacturer Kestrel Aircraft Corp. recently announced a move to Superior, Wis. that could create 600 jobs in the next five years. It is moves such as this that Waldhuetter says AeroInnovate wants to see more of.

"We are hoping that we can be a catalyst to create a strong aviation ecosystem in Northeast Wisconsin with startups, and being able to procure more services from large corporations as well, through our manufacturing supply chain," he said. "We would love Northeast Wisconsin to be a leader and be able to start and grow aerospace companies."

Although the Wisconsin climate might not be ideal for flying weather year-round, Waldhuetter said Wisconsin's aviation industry is strong enough to support the growth.

"What we do not have is 305 days of sunny weather to fly in," he said. "Other states do have that, but we have to leverage the strength that we have and assets that we have."

The lack of sunny weather has not clouded out talks of a Sheboygan, Wis. space port in the distant future. In the near future, Morgan said he is certain that Wisconsin's aviation and aerospace industry will continue to grow from where it all started.

"[Work ethic] is a pretty big feature for the Midwest in general, but especially here," he said. "There's something to be said of the heritage of good old fashion hard work on the farms growing, and how that's affected the generations after that."

American Orthodontics Purchases New Site for Corporate Headquarters

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:46:10 -0600

Sheboygan, WI – February 6^th, 2012 - American Orthodontics Corporation (AO) has purchased the former Thomas Industries property located at 3524 Washington Avenue in Sheboygan.

Company founder and Chairman of the Board, Dan Merkel, is very pleased with the purchase. “AO has dedicated people manufacturing high quality orthodontic products for the past 44 years. We have been committed to growing our world-wide operations in Sheboygan.”

AO is one of the city’s largest manufacturers and is the largest private manufacturer of orthodontics in the world. As part of the planned expansion, AO has worked closely with the City of Sheboygan, Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in identifying expansion options and resources. “We congratulate American Orthodontics on its proactive approach to expanding its corporate footprint here in Sheboygan,” said Patrick Drinan, Executive Director of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation. “AO is a two-time Wisconsin Manufacturer of the Year award winner, and with over 95% of its products being manufactured in Sheboygan, the success of AO shines a bright spotlight on continued economic growth of manufacturing in Sheboygan County.”

Mike Bogenschuetz, President and COO, states “We are really excited about combining our current operations into one facility where we can optimize process flow.”

Vice Chairman and CEO, Randy Benz, says the acquisition of larger facilities is critical to facilitate the growth of AO. “We have grown beyond the capacities of our current facilities. We are extremely proud and want to thank all of our associates who have contributed to our success. We look forward to welcoming them all to our new home.”

AO plans to remodel the facility over the next few months to accommodate their business. A move to the new location is expected later this year.

About American Orthodontics:
American Orthodontics Corporation is a World-class manufacturer of Orthodontic Products and is based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. From its inception in 1968, AO has focused on providing solutions to Orthodontists and their staffs around the world so they can change the lives of patients by providing them beautiful smiles. AO is recognized for providing customers with the highest value proposition possible, in terms of quality, product features, service and price.

Contact: Deb Schmidt
Cell # 920-226-0336
Email

LTC-Plymouth Science & Technology Center unveiled

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:37:17 -0600

The eagerly anticipated LTC-Plymouth Science & Technology Center at Plymouth High School celebrated its grand opening Feb. 1 with officials from the Plymouth School District, Lakeshore Technical College, the City of Plymouth and area businesses.

Later that same day, the public got its first look at the $1.25 million facility, which will prepare high school and college students for engineering and technical careers.

The center is a unique collaboration involving LTC, the school district, the city and the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce.

Sadly, examples of such collaboration are rare, because they can be messy, Plymouth Schools Superintendent Clark Reinke told those gathered.

“I am thrilled to say because of the dedication and hard work on the part of many leaders, this partnership is not only off and rolling,” he said. “I believe it will not only serve our students, our community, and area businesses, but it will be a model that can be shared with others.”

The facility will go a long way toward reaching the district’s goal of preparing every graduate to enter higher education or a career of his or her choice, Dr. Reinke said.

But he said his vision for the center does not end with providing the maintenance tech workers that area manufacturers need today. “We want our graduates designing the new machine that packages brats at Johnsonville or creating the new product that keeps Sargento at the leading edge,” he said.

Speakers also included Mark Rhyan, president of the Plymouth Board of Education and executive vice president and chief operations officer for Sargento Foods, which donated the high-speed packaging machine in the manufacturing lab.

Mr. Rhyan offered four perspectives: employer, school board member, parent and community member.

“As an employer, I recognize the value of well-trained individuals,” he said, commending LTC for the job it does in training workers.

As a school board member, Mr. Rhyan said the center raises the bar for every student and helps the district prepare all students to follow their career goals.

Mr. Rhyan attributed the successes of his own children to the efforts of the school district, and in particular expressed gratitude to the teachers. He told the technology education instructors that the facility is at their disposal, but noted that the building alone won’t provide the instruction.

“Use it well to teach these kids,” he said. “I don’t believe I understate the importance of your work when I say that the future of this state and, for that matter, our country depends heavily upon your success in educating these kids. Have at it, gentlemen.”

Mike Lanser, president of Lakeshore Technical College, said the center has its roots in 2008, when he sat down with Dr. Reinke to talk about ways to collaborate.

"We are excited about the articulation agreements with Plymouth High School to offer dual-credit degree programs for high school students,” Dr. Lanser said. “This engagement will allow students to leverage their high school education into a post-secondary degree and establishes a firm learning foundation and exposure to career opportunities in our region."

The center meets key workforce needs and will go a long way toward closing the skills gap, which is what motivated LTC to get involved, he said.

"When you walk through the center and see how engaged the students are, the passion of the instructors, and the teamwork between LTC and Plymouth faculty you know this was the right thing to do,” he said. “The success of this partnership is a testament to the positive impact a community can provide through the sharing of ideas, resources and good will."

John Lukas, chairperson of the Lakeshore Technical College District Board and a manufacturer in Manitowoc, recalled being in Washington, D.C., when he learned that federal grant money might be available for the project.

In addition to being in the right place at the right time, seeing the project to fruition also took teamwork, dedication and passion, he said.

The college and the school district provided with more than $250,000 in in-kind donations to the project. The City of Plymouth provided an additional $250,000 in economic development funds.

Plymouth Mayor Don Pohlman said the facility exists thanks to teamwork and a shared commitment to bringing the project to its conclusion, and serves as an example to others. He encouraged those involved to look for more opportunities to collaborate.

“If this is the first step, I can’t wait to see the second step,” he said.

Jeanette Tamayo, regional director for the U.S. Economic Development Administration, which provided $683,000 in grant money, also encouraged those involved to continue to collaborate.

She said the EDA provides funding and tools to encourage innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship in the hopes of growing regional and national economies.

State Superintendent Tony Evers, a Plymouth High School graduate, said in videotaped remarks that the center is a model for all of Wisconsin. He noted that it will open career paths that meet community needs.

Those career paths are a priority for the Wisconsin Technical College System, WTCS president Dan Clancy told those at the grand opening.

The skills gap can’t be solved by any single entity, he noted, but will take the efforts of educators, government and especially businesses. “This is an outstanding example of this type of synergy,” he said.

The remarks were followed by the unveiling of a plaque and the singing of a dual-credit agreement between LTC and the Plymouth School District.

Those visiting the center then were treated to tours of the facility and to student demonstrations:

CAD Lab: Computer-aided design software and a three-dimensional printer
CNC Lab: State-of-the-art Haas CNC mills and a Haas lathe
Engineering Lab: Control panel and immersive CNC simulators for Haas high-tech mills
Graphics Lab: Laser engraver
Manufacturing Lab: High-speed packaging machine manufactured by Viking-Masek donated by Sargento Foods
Welding Lab: Professional metal fabrication training facility

PHS culinary arts students catered the grand opening and provided cookies for the open house.

During the open house, school-age children were able to explore science and engineering through a number of hands-on activities in the Aspiring Engineers room. Also open that evening were the school’s agriscience, automotive and construction labs

Learn more at: http://www.plymouth.k12.wi.us/NewsPages/20120206scitech.html

Plymouth schools, LTC, businesses going high tech with industrial management program

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:06:13 -0600

"When you get to the facility and see the modern technology and you see how the students are engaged and the excitement of the instructors, it really goes a long way to show people what modern manufacturing is all about," Lanser said.

Click here to read the full story online.

Lou Gentine, Chairman & CEO of Sargento Foods Inc., Receives 2012 NCI Laureate Award

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:40:43 -0600

(La Quinta, Calif. – January 19, 2012) The National Cheese Institute has bestowed its highest honor, the NCI Laureate Award, on Lou Gentine, chairman and CEO of Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis. The award was presented this week to Gentine during a special ceremony at the International Dairy Foods Association's 2012 Dairy Forum by NCI Vice Chairman Mike Reidy, who is senior vice president, supply chain and corporate affairs, for Leprino Foods Company.

Click here to read the full story online.

The Year in Business: Signs of life County's economy picks up a bit in 2011

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:25:34 -0600

It wasn't always smooth, but the Sheboygan County economy continued to show signs of life in 2011. Area employers continued to slowly add jobs, which helped bring Sheboygan's unemployment rate down to its lowest level in nearly three years and for the first time since the recession took hold, the year passed without any large-scale layoffs or factory closures.

Click here to read the full story online.

Forbes honors Kohler with Five-Star Awards

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:06:16 -0600

The American Club hotel and Kohler Waters Spa in Kohler has been awarded the 2012 Forbes Five-Star Award in its 54th annual listing of Five-Star and Four-Star hospitality establishments worldwide.They are also the first and only Forbes Five-Star hospitality establishments in Wisconsin to earn the organization's highest rating.

Click here to read the full story online.

Toppers Pizza to open in downtown Sheboygan

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:49:55 -0600

Toppers Pizza, a Whitewater-based specialty pizza chain with 32 locations in six states, will open a location in downtown Sheboygan.

The Sheboygan Plan Commission approved a conditional use permit for Toppers at its meeting on Tuesday. Scott Julius, the franchise owner, hopes to have the restaurant, at 1102 N. Eighth St. by the old Goodell Music store, open by St. Patrick's Day next year.

Click here to read the full story online.

Sheboygan business leaders look to future at economic development group's annual meeting

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 07:38:29 -0600

With the national economy still sluggish and unemployment still high, several hundred business leaders got together Tuesday night to, in effect, celebrate what's going right for the local economy and to look forward to better times ahead.

Click here to read the full story online.