Manufacturing

Arbor Photonics hires 6 in Ann Arbor, plans a repeat

By Newsroom

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December 1, 2010

The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition couldn't have come at a better time for Arbor Photonics. The 3-year-old startup plans to use the competition (it's a semi-finalist) as a springboard for its series B round of fundraising in 2011. Winning the $500,000 cash prize for first place would go a long way toward reaching the goal of $3-$5 million."Its good money," says Phillip Amaya, CEO of Arbor Photonics. "It fits in well with our financing plan."The Ann Arbor-based, laser-technology startup has hired six people in the last year, rounding out its staff to 10. The University of Michigan spin-off plans to hire another 5-6 people in 2011 with continued technology commercialization and the start of production.Arbor Photonics got its start when U-M Prof. Almantas Galvanauskas invented a new way to dramatically improve fiber lasers. The optical fiber structure technology called Chirally-Coupled Core Fiber, or 3C fiber, significantly improves the performance of fiber lasers in industrial manufacturing. Amaya expects that technology to begin appearing in more and more factories within the next year."We expect sales to take off in 2012," Amaya says.Source: Phillip Amaya, CEO of Arbor PhotonicsWriter: Jon ZemkeRead more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.

Latest in Manufacturing

Ann Arbor start-ups dominate Accelerate Michigan semi-finals

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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November 17, 2010

Ann Arbor-based start-ups are dominating the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition, taking half of the 50 spaces in the semi-finals.Elizabeth Parkinson, director of marking and public relations for Ann Arbor SPARK, says this sort of showing isn't an anomaly. Tree Town-based start-ups regularly take half of the cash from Michigan's statewide Pre-Seed Capital and Microloan funds. "We used judges from across the state," says Parkinson. Ann Arbor SPARK is the lead organizer behind the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition. "Everyone has three looks from three different judges. Everybody got a fair look."And Ann Arbor firms shined through. On top of that another three startups are based in (Saline-based Sensors and Brighton-based Spinal Ventures) or have ties to (ShadePlex started in Ypsilanti) communities nearby. The list includes a number of firms that are well known for a variety of reasons, including Discera, which emerged as an issue in the recent gubernatorial race.Among the companies are Accio Energy, Advanced Battery Control and POWERleap in alternative energy, along with Arbor Photonics and ePack in next generation manufacturing. The medical device companies include Compendia Bioscience, Epsilon Imaging, Hygieia, OcuSciences, Vir(Sn) and ImBio. The life science firms are FreeStride Therapeutics, Life Magnatics, NextGen Metabolomics, and RetroSense Theraputics. The rest include Current Motor Company (advanced transportation); ElectroDynamic Applications and Mayaterials (both in advanced materials); Evigia Systems and Pixel Velocity (both defense & homeland security); Ix Innovations and Monarch Antenna (both products and services); TherapyCharts, and Reveal Design (IT).The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition is offering $1 million in prizes to start-ups in Michigan or planning to move to Michigan. The idea is to showcase the state's entrepreneurial ecosystem to a large audience of investors in town for the Big Chill hockey game at Michigan Stadium on Dec. 11.Source: Elizabeth Parkinson, director of marking & public relations for Ann Arbor SPARKWriter: Jon Zemke

Manufacturing The Future

By Dennis Archambault

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Economic Development

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November 3, 2010

While much of the world may be going virtual, most businesses still have to make stuff. Putting together teams of engineering and business students, U-M's Tauber Institute plays matchmaker for companies that are looking to improve their manufacturing process. It's a partnership that provides students with a valuable skill set and saves participating firms up to millions of dollars.

Fusion Coolant Systems wraps up product development, plans for growth

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Economic Development

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October 6, 2010

Fusion Coolant Systems is getting ready to commercialize its technology, a move that should create a handful of jobs in Ann Arbor.The University of Michigan spinout has created an environmentally friendly fluid that eliminates toxic cutting fluids in metal processing for industrial sectors such as aerospace. The new technology also improves cutting tools performance while reducing the wear.The Ann Arbor-based company spent its first year developing this technology and expects to commercialize it within the next year. That means qualifying for Phase II Small Business Innovation Research grants and landing a few customers in the manufacturing arena."We expect to have a commercial relationship with a couple of aerospace manufacturing companies by next year," says James Giovanni, director of sales & marketing for Fusion Coolant Systems.The startup began with two employees and has expanded to a staff of six. It expects to bring on another 1-5 people over the next year.Source: James Giovanni, director of sales & marketing for Fusion Coolant SystemsWriter: Jon Zemke

Ann Arbor’s Nagel Precision leads way for manufacturing diversification

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Economic Development

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June 30, 2010

Lots of manufacturers parrot the virtues of diversifying their product portfolios. Ann Arbor-based Nagel Precision talks the talk and walks the walk with its expansion into the aerospace and medical device sectors. The move has allowed it to expand operations at a time when many automotive manufacturers are shrinking and disappearing. Excerpt:Michigan's manufacturing ingenuity is still very much alive at Nagel Precision.Since 1982, the U.S. subsidiary of Germany's Nagel Group has been building high-volume honing machines for automakers and their suppliers at its factory in Ann Arbor, shipping many orders to customers in Europe and Asia.Honing machines are giant, million-dollar-plus, custom-designed pieces of equipment that improve the shape and the surface finish of gears, connecting rods and other parts that go into engines and transmissions....Despite being a dominant player in this market, Nagel knew it needed to diversify, a goal that became more urgent as auto sales took a dive in recent years. So today, the company has begun selling a line of less-expensive, smaller honing machines called the Eco Series. They are geared toward low- and medium-volume production for small auto suppliers, auto racing teams and companies in expanding, nonautomotive industries such as aerospace, medical devices and industrial equipment."We want to capture that growth," said Sanjai Keshavan, manager of Nagel Precision's new Eco Hone division. "If you're not diversifying, it's suicide."Read the rest of the story here.

Ann Arbor’s Affinia Holdings Group plans for $230M IPO

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Economic Development

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June 30, 2010

An Ann Arbor-based business is gearing up to make a sizable splash on Wall Street with an initial public offering later this year.Affinia Holdings Group expects to raise $230 million in the stock offering. The automotive supplier will operate with the symbol AFN on the New York Stock Exchange. Scott Howat, director of corporate communications for the company, declined to comment on the IPO and the firm's plans, saying it is in a federally mandated quiet period before the stock offering.He did confirm that the company employs about 50 people in its Ann Arbor headquarters and about 10,000 globally. He declined to elaborate on whether the company has added staff recently and if it has any plans to grow its Ann Arbor presence.Affinia Holdings Group is a manufacturer of parts primarily for the automotive market, such as brake pads and oil filters for everything from sedans to semi-trucks. The international company also has footholds in other emerging industries, such as alternative energy.Source: Scott Howat, director of corporate communications for Affinia Holdings GroupWriter: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti approves Ford Rawsonville plant for battery pack work

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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May 19, 2010

Change is coming to the Ford's Rawsonville plant in Ypsilanti, however, the full implications of that change are getting hard to nail down. Nevertheless, the signs are good ones.The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees held a public hearing Tuesday night on exempting the manufacturing facility on 10300 Textile Road from new personal property taxes. What that means for the future of the plant is still to be determined. The plant is in line to build battery packs for electric cars, according to a story in the Detroit Free Press in April. Repeated calls over several days.to the Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo were not returned. Ford declined to comment on the activity beyond this statement: "We are excited about our plans to bring battery pack development and assembly to Michigan and will share more details soon," If that holds true it will mean a new economy future for hundreds of jobs at the old economy stalwart. A letter from the UAW local for the plant says the facility has been selected to make hybrid battery packs for the Michigan Assembly plant. How much investment and how many jobs are still being worked out, according to the letter. Sometimes vague news can be good news too. Source: Ypsilanti Township, Ford and UAWWriter: Jon Zemke

Chelsea Milling Co invests $5M in plant, R&D expansion

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Economic Development

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February 10, 2010

The marquee business Chelsea is known for is growing. Chelsea Milling Co. is investing $5 million to expand its facilities.The 105-year-old firm, known for making Jiffy Mix, employs 310 people in downtown Chelsea and another 14 in Marshall. It added 10 people last year and hopes to continue hiring in 2010. It's expanding its presence in Chelsea to accommodate this growth. It's building a pilot plant that will connect its corporate offices and main production facility. It is also upgrading its research and development facility."We wanted to get a good feel for how our products would play in the real world," says Jack Kennedy, vice president and general manager for Chelsea Milling Co. "We wanted that intermediate step."Currently new Jiffy Mix products go straight from the R&D oven to full production. Adding the pilot plant allows the company to do some smaller test runs on the products before investing large amounts of cash into a costly full production. Right now the expansion is about 70 percent complete. Kennedy expects his employees to occupy the new addition by the end of May. Source: Jack Kennedy, vice president and general manager for Chelsea Milling Co.Writer: Jon Zemke

Medical marijuana biz leads to 30 new jobs in Ypsilanti

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Economic Development

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January 20, 2010

Medical marijuana isn't just a buzz word in downtown Ypsilanti, it's a business with the potential to boom in the near future.The 3rd Coast Seed Co. (a compassion club for users of medicinal cannabis and their caregivers) and the Michigan Marijuana Chamber of Commerce have set up shop in 7,300 square feet of commercial space, bringing 30 new jobs with them. The organizations' space (where one can eat a marijuana cookie among other cannabis products legally) is ironically in an old Girl Scouts office next to Abe's Coney Island on 19 N Hamilton St. Anthony Freed, the founder of both organizations, also has plans to open similar offices elsewhere in Michigan. He believes this could create 1,000 jobs in Michigan both directly and indirectly within the next year."The ability for this to save Michigan is a very real concept," says Freed, who is also a user of medicinal marijuana. He also was once owned a mortgage company and claims to have been the general manager of Dexter Chevrolet at the age of 23. As an example he says he is working with a local company that makes air purifying machines that have been used in restaurants to abate second-hand smoke. Instead of that business just going away with the newly passed smoking ban, he hopes to help that company transition its technology to be used as an air filtration system for the grow process of marijuana.He sees multiple spin-off businesses coming from the new medical marijuana laws. Business that can not only be used by existing companies but can help create new ones, and new jobs, in Michigan. It's part of the reason why he is starting the Michigan Caregivers Cup in Ypsilanti at the end of this month."This industry can replace the auto industry at a fast pace," Freed says.He points to proof of that in California, which is celebrating its 12 anniversary of the enactment of its medical marijuana laws. The medicinal marijuana industry is worth 10 figures and growing. He thinks Michigan is even more adept to hosting such an industry with its abundance of farmland, manufacturing base and research facilities."That this industry exists is a fact," Freed says. "It's a billion dollar industry whether you want to recognize it or not."Source: Anthony Freed, co-founder of the Third Seed Co. and the Michigan Marijuana Chamber of CommerceWriter: Jon Zemke

VANGUARD USA hires 2, plans to continue staff expansion

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Arts and Culture

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October 14, 2009

One of the leading photography accessory manufacturers calls Whitmore Lake home, and continues to grow in the small lake town just north of Ann Arbor.VANGUARD USA has just hired two new people for its local U.S. headquarters, expanding its payroll to 21 people. It plans to hire a handful more people within the next year as it continues to revamp and upgrade its product portfolio."It appears to be nothing but growth on the horizon," says Jody Lamb, marketing manager for VANGUARD USA.The company got its start in 24 years ago when Anne Lee, a native of Taiwan, began making tripods and ball heads for cameras. One of her colleagues had ties to Ann Arbor and persuaded to open up her U.S. office in Dexter shortly after she started the firm. A few years later it moved to Whitmore Lake and expanded its portfolio to include more photography equipment, such as camera bags.The company went international in the 1980s, expanding into the Japanese and European markets. It even started offering hunting/outdoors equipment in 1997. Today VANGUARD USA employs 3,000 worldwide. The company recently overhauled its product line, causing it to focus more on advertising and getting the word out about its new products. That has prompted the recent expansion of the Whitmore Lake office."There has been a great need to focus on marketing and customer outreach," Lamb says.Source: Jody Lamb, marketing manager for VANGUARD USAWriter: Jon Zemke