Manufacturing Archives – Page 9 of 9

Ann Arbor’s Current Motor Co delivers first electric scooters

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October 7, 2009

John Harding was Current Motor Co. first customer before the business even existed.Harding wanted a sustainable electric scooter, but the only ones he could buy were powered by fossil fuels. So he and Erik Kauppi started Current Motor Co. last year on Ann Arbor's far west side."I wanted an electric vehicle," says John Harding, president of Current Motor Co. "I am motorcyclist as well and a two-wheeler makes a lot of sense."The company now employs 10 people from its headquarters on Jackson Road. There they put together scooters --mostly from stock parts-- while creating their own electric package. They even issue their own vehicle identification numbers. The company makes its first delivery of eight bikes to customers later this month."We're rolling out slowly," Harding says. "We're ramping up our marketing now that we have our first bikes out."The next shipment of bikes will be sold out of the firm's new dealership at its headquarters, 6241 Jackson Road, which is set to open by the end of the month. Current Motor Co. plans to product about 100-200 electric scooters within the next year. At the same time it plans to develop a national network of dealerships."2011 is when we want to grow that dealership network nationally and sell thousands of bikes," Harding says.Source: John Harding, president of Current Motor Co.Writer: Jon Zemke

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AA EDM turns belly up biz into new Ann Arbor start-up

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Economic Development

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September 2, 2009

John MacGregor and his partners spent most of their career working for the man. That is, until they decided to jump into the entrepreneurial world and become their own bosses by starting AA EDM last July.The Ann Arbor-based firm bought the assets of a bankrupt company that made electronics technology for machines used in diesel engine manufacturing. MacGregor and his partners (George Barbulescu and Nicky Borcea) are now making a go of it after spending several decades each in the industry."We made other people money," MacGregor says. "We decided we were going to do it for ourselves. Even though the company went under, it still had a viable product."It also came with some inventory, demonstration machines, and a built-in customer base. The company builds machines and tools for diesel engines manufacturing, but it is such a niche market that the trio aren't worried about the work being shipped overseas.Instead, they work away from offices on Jackson Road with their three employees. They hope to add 3-5 more within six months and they continue to slowly but steadily build their own company."It's not a fast-growing business, but it's a profitable one," MacGregor says.Source: John MacGregor, president of AA EDMWriter: Jon Zemke

Molded Materials consolidates operations in Saline

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Community Development

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July 22, 2009

Molded Materials is casting a new die in Saline. The advanced materials technology company is consolidating its operations in the city southwest of Ann Arbor thanks largely to a tax break approved by the state."It keeps us in Michgan, basically," says Tom Elkington, chief operating officer of Molded Materials. "It was the tipping point for keeping us in Michigan."The state tax credit totals $420,388 over seven years and will result in hiring 29 people within the next five years, on top of its current staff of 45. Those jobs will come mainly from Molded Materials merging two of three plants in Saline, investing $2.9 million. It's Plymouth operation will also remain, but Saline will be the center of growth for Molded Materials."This community is very open and willing to work with companies to help them grow," Elkington says.Molded Materials designs, engineers and manufactures advanced composite components for a wide variety of industries.Source: Tom Elkington, chief operating officer of Molded MaterialsWriter: Jon Zemke