China’s Camel Energy to add 41 jobs with new Pittsfield Township R&D center
The battery company will invest $4.6 million in the new facility, which received a nearly $300,000 incentive from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Manufacturing
Latest in Manufacturing
Ann Arbor “Woman in Tech” award nominee discusses challenges of being a female tech leader
Grace Hsia says it's sometimes been difficult to convince suppliers that she was a CEO and that her woman-led company should be taken seriously.
How Thomson-Shore beat the Great Recession and a publishing industry in turmoil
The recession marked the end of an era for the Dexter-based publisher. But it also sparked fresh innovation that's moved Thomson-Shore into an entirely new era of success.
Spanish auto parts supplier to create nearly 200 jobs in Chelsea
Gestamp will invest $68 million locally over the next four years.
Warmilu’s blanket technology goes to Kenya, scales up
This year the Ann Arbor startup has deployed in Kenya, pursued clinical trials in Detroit, and established a new headquarters.
Civionics to expand sensor pilot with local manufacturer
Ann Arbor-based Civionics has changed the focus of its sensor technology, and its pivot in marketplace looks promising.
Dyson acquires Ann Arbor’s Sakti3 for $90M
It's the kind of acquisition many a startup hopes will come true: lithium-ion battery developer Sakti3 was bought by UK vacuum-maker Dyson to the tune of $90 million. No plans have yet been announced for where the battery production facility will be based but Michigan is a possibility. Excerpt: "The $90 million acquisition — first reported by business-news site Quartz — reflects a win for clean-tech investors in Sakti3, including General Motors and Khosla Ventures. Dyson itself had already invested $15 million in Sakti3. The University of Michigan spinoff company's founder and CEO Ann Marie Sastry will lead development of her technology as an executive for Dyson." Read the rest here.
Coherix scores $12M to grow manufacturing software in China
Coherix recently landed $12 million to help rapidly grow sales of its manufacturing software around the world. But the Ann Arbor-based startup nearly perished before getting to this point. The company launched in 2004, making software that help streamline the advanced manufacturing process. Business grew quickly and the startup’s leadership had visions of going public. Then the Great Recession hit. The company's investors, never losing faith in Coherix's potential spent $9.6 million between 2008 and 2010 to keep the company afloat through hard times. "We have a tremendous group of investors," says Dwight Carlson, CEO of Coherix. When the economy turned around and Coherix extinguished its cash burn, Carlson had high hopes to raising a lot more money to fuel its growth. "I thought they would be throwing money at me because we survived (the Great Recession)," Carlson says. It didn't turn out that way. Investors saw that Coherix specialized in manufacturing, strike one. It is based in Michigan, strike two. Carlson cut his loses and went back to growing Coherix organically and further developing its technology. Today its principal technology provides high-speed, high-definition 3D measurement and inspection services for manufacturers that streamlines their production capability. It creates efficiencies through high-tech, optical-based measurement and inspection of the assembly processes. Coherix has found most of its success deploying this technology in China where 40 percent of that country’s gross domestic product is created through manufacturing. It employs 50 people globally, including 35 in Ann Arbor. It has hired two marketing people in Ann Arbor over the last year now that it has landed its latest investment round. Carlson expects to hire a lot more people as he starts to put the $12 million in new seed capital to work. One third of that money will go toward building out Coherix's operations in China. The rest of it will be spent building the business in Ann Arbor. Taking Coherix public in the next few years is a dream again. "Now we're pedal to the metal," Carlson says. "We are going from survival mode to rapid growth mode. We will be hiring an awful lot of people." Source: Dwight Carlson, CEO of Coherix Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
First scooters set to roll off Mahindra GenZe’s line this year
Ann Arbor's Mahindra GenZe is gearing up to produce its first scooters this year. Mahindra GenZe is a division of an Indian-based scooter manufacturer, Mahindra and Mahindra. It opened a regional technical center in Ann Arbor to design scooters to sell in North America three years ago. Its manufacturing facility followed a little more than a year ago. The first scooters are set to roll off the assembly line later this summer. "We are kicking out our last pre-production prototypes," says Terence Duncan, head of product management at Mahindra GenZe. "All of the engineering work is done." The electric scooter is sleek and simple, focused on the needs of urban commuters looking for a convenient transportation option that works well in densely populated areas. The scooter comes with a 7-inch touchscreen monitor built into the handlebars and plugs into normal electric outlets to charge its lithium-ion battery. Check out a video on it here. "Our monthly numbers will be very low at the start," Duncan says. "We will increase our output gradually. By the end of the year we hope to be at 3,000." Mahindra GenZe currently employs a staff of 35 people in Ann Arbor. It has hired a dozen people over the last year in mostly white collar positions. It is also looking to hire another six people who specialize in assembly, electrical engineering, and project management. That staff is not only working on the company's scooter but widening its product portfolio. The company is currently experimenting with electric bicycles that it is looking to produce in Ann Arbor, too. "We are building prototypes for them," Duncan says. Source: Terence Duncan, head of product management at Mahindra GenZe Writer: Jon Zemke
Civionics brings wireless sensors to manufacturing
Civionics got its start spinning out of the University of Michigan in 2009 by commercializing wireless sensor technology. The platform was primarily used to measure the strength of large-scale infrastructure, such as bridge supports. That's changing now. The startup is pivoting from its previous work, which mostly generated revenue from government grants, to a product platform. "We have a new product we began selling at the end of last year," says Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Civionics. "We hope it will help us enter some new verticals." That new product is called Constellation. It is based on Civionics original technology but applies it to manufacturing equipment in factories. The idea is to monitor the strength of those machines and avoid breakdowns with well-timed maintenance. The company is aiming to focus on Michigan’s automotive market as a start. To help make that happen, Civionics has joined Automation Alley's 7Cs program. The program helps small businesses leverage cutting edge manufacturing technology, opening the door for them to go to the next level of production. "Automation Alley clearly has the connections in the area that we lack," Zimmerman says. The Ann Arbor-based company currently employs a core team of a handful of people after adding one over the last year. Zimmerman expects to grow that team later this year as it lines up the first customers for Constellation. Source: Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Civionics Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
Ann Arbor “Woman in Tech” award nominee discusses challenges of being a female tech leader
Grace Hsia says it's sometimes been difficult to convince suppliers that she was a CEO and that her woman-led company should be taken seriously.
How Thomson-Shore beat the Great Recession and a publishing industry in turmoil
The recession marked the end of an era for the Dexter-based publisher. But it also sparked fresh innovation that's moved Thomson-Shore into an entirely new era of success.
Spanish auto parts supplier to create nearly 200 jobs in Chelsea
Gestamp will invest $68 million locally over the next four years.
Warmilu’s blanket technology goes to Kenya, scales up
This year the Ann Arbor startup has deployed in Kenya, pursued clinical trials in Detroit, and established a new headquarters.
Civionics to expand sensor pilot with local manufacturer
Ann Arbor-based Civionics has changed the focus of its sensor technology, and its pivot in marketplace looks promising.
Dyson acquires Ann Arbor’s Sakti3 for $90M
It's the kind of acquisition many a startup hopes will come true: lithium-ion battery developer Sakti3 was bought by UK vacuum-maker Dyson to the tune of $90 million. No plans have yet been announced for where the battery production facility will be based but Michigan is a possibility. Excerpt: "The $90 million acquisition — first reported by business-news site Quartz — reflects a win for clean-tech investors in Sakti3, including General Motors and Khosla Ventures. Dyson itself had already invested $15 million in Sakti3. The University of Michigan spinoff company's founder and CEO Ann Marie Sastry will lead development of her technology as an executive for Dyson." Read the rest here.
Coherix scores $12M to grow manufacturing software in China
Coherix recently landed $12 million to help rapidly grow sales of its manufacturing software around the world. But the Ann Arbor-based startup nearly perished before getting to this point. The company launched in 2004, making software that help streamline the advanced manufacturing process. Business grew quickly and the startup’s leadership had visions of going public. Then the Great Recession hit. The company's investors, never losing faith in Coherix's potential spent $9.6 million between 2008 and 2010 to keep the company afloat through hard times. "We have a tremendous group of investors," says Dwight Carlson, CEO of Coherix. When the economy turned around and Coherix extinguished its cash burn, Carlson had high hopes to raising a lot more money to fuel its growth. "I thought they would be throwing money at me because we survived (the Great Recession)," Carlson says. It didn't turn out that way. Investors saw that Coherix specialized in manufacturing, strike one. It is based in Michigan, strike two. Carlson cut his loses and went back to growing Coherix organically and further developing its technology. Today its principal technology provides high-speed, high-definition 3D measurement and inspection services for manufacturers that streamlines their production capability. It creates efficiencies through high-tech, optical-based measurement and inspection of the assembly processes. Coherix has found most of its success deploying this technology in China where 40 percent of that country’s gross domestic product is created through manufacturing. It employs 50 people globally, including 35 in Ann Arbor. It has hired two marketing people in Ann Arbor over the last year now that it has landed its latest investment round. Carlson expects to hire a lot more people as he starts to put the $12 million in new seed capital to work. One third of that money will go toward building out Coherix's operations in China. The rest of it will be spent building the business in Ann Arbor. Taking Coherix public in the next few years is a dream again. "Now we're pedal to the metal," Carlson says. "We are going from survival mode to rapid growth mode. We will be hiring an awful lot of people." Source: Dwight Carlson, CEO of Coherix Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
First scooters set to roll off Mahindra GenZe’s line this year
Ann Arbor's Mahindra GenZe is gearing up to produce its first scooters this year. Mahindra GenZe is a division of an Indian-based scooter manufacturer, Mahindra and Mahindra. It opened a regional technical center in Ann Arbor to design scooters to sell in North America three years ago. Its manufacturing facility followed a little more than a year ago. The first scooters are set to roll off the assembly line later this summer. "We are kicking out our last pre-production prototypes," says Terence Duncan, head of product management at Mahindra GenZe. "All of the engineering work is done." The electric scooter is sleek and simple, focused on the needs of urban commuters looking for a convenient transportation option that works well in densely populated areas. The scooter comes with a 7-inch touchscreen monitor built into the handlebars and plugs into normal electric outlets to charge its lithium-ion battery. Check out a video on it here. "Our monthly numbers will be very low at the start," Duncan says. "We will increase our output gradually. By the end of the year we hope to be at 3,000." Mahindra GenZe currently employs a staff of 35 people in Ann Arbor. It has hired a dozen people over the last year in mostly white collar positions. It is also looking to hire another six people who specialize in assembly, electrical engineering, and project management. That staff is not only working on the company's scooter but widening its product portfolio. The company is currently experimenting with electric bicycles that it is looking to produce in Ann Arbor, too. "We are building prototypes for them," Duncan says. Source: Terence Duncan, head of product management at Mahindra GenZe Writer: Jon Zemke
Civionics brings wireless sensors to manufacturing
Civionics got its start spinning out of the University of Michigan in 2009 by commercializing wireless sensor technology. The platform was primarily used to measure the strength of large-scale infrastructure, such as bridge supports. That's changing now. The startup is pivoting from its previous work, which mostly generated revenue from government grants, to a product platform. "We have a new product we began selling at the end of last year," says Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Civionics. "We hope it will help us enter some new verticals." That new product is called Constellation. It is based on Civionics original technology but applies it to manufacturing equipment in factories. The idea is to monitor the strength of those machines and avoid breakdowns with well-timed maintenance. The company is aiming to focus on Michigan’s automotive market as a start. To help make that happen, Civionics has joined Automation Alley's 7Cs program. The program helps small businesses leverage cutting edge manufacturing technology, opening the door for them to go to the next level of production. "Automation Alley clearly has the connections in the area that we lack," Zimmerman says. The Ann Arbor-based company currently employs a core team of a handful of people after adding one over the last year. Zimmerman expects to grow that team later this year as it lines up the first customers for Constellation. Source: Andy Zimmerman, CEO of Civionics Writer: Jon Zemke Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
