Guardian Industries Corp.’s glass-making plant in Carleton recently host­ed a visit by U.S. Rep. John D. Dingell, D- Dearborn, for a discussion about the importance of making and buying American prod­ucts.
“I am delighted to tour such a grand facility,” Rep. Dingell said. “Guardian’s Carleton plant is proof positive that we can make it right here in America. I also commend the com­pany for its ongoing efforts to stay ahead of the curve by investing in R& D at its Science and Technology Center, also located here in Carleton.”
Rep. Dingell met with ex­ecutives of the corporation, which was founded in 1932 as a small shop during the early days of auto industry in Detroit. Now, it is one of the world’s leading manu-f­acturers of glass.
The discussions with Guardian covered legisla­tive issues relating to their manufacturing of glass products for commer­cial, residential, automo­tive, energy- effi cient, and electronic markets, along with building products for homes and autos. Mr. Din­gell also discussed trade issues because in addition to serving the U.S. market, the Carlton plant exports float glass to Latin America and Europe.
“ Making Michigan in­dustries more attractive to investment and improving our work force’s ability to innovate will keep us com­petitive,” Rep.Dingell said.
“ Moreover, promoting further training and edu­cation in next generation technologies and manu­facturing will benefit our companies and ensure that the United States has homegrown talent that can compete with work­ers across the globe,” Rep. Dingell said.
“ Guardian’s Carleton plant exemplifies how this can be done,” he added.
After meeting with Guardian Rep. Dingell toured the plant to see glass being manufactured on two lines that run 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Article published in Monroe Evening News, January 18, 2012

UPCOMING PROGRAMS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OFFERED THROUGH THE MI-SBTDC

SOCIAL MEDIA:

According to recent studies, the social media technology adoption rates for small businesses in the U.S. have doubled in the past year from 12 percent to 24 percent. With this there comes confusion over how to use the medium and which platform is best for your small business. Learn the basics and etiquette of social networking for your small business. How to leverage social networks to help grow your business while reducing your marketing costs? Learn how February 23 from 6-9 p.m. at Schoolcraft College in Livonia. Benefits, disadvantages and tricks of the major social networks will be discussed.

New to Twitter? Want to use the medium to help your business? The Oakland County Business Center will have Twitter for beginners, intermediate and advanced users in Waterford this February. Register online.

VENTURE FORWARD:

For entrepreneurs who currently own companies and are looking for proven strategies and processes for healthy growth, Venture Forward is an intensive,  11-week program designed for owners, CEOs and top management team members of businesses with at least two years of operating experience and $750,000 in annual sales. Focused on issues most important to business health and growth, attendees gain knowledge to make critical decisions about their business and strategy, investigate next-stage growth and opportunity, plan for strategic growth, build and maintain a competitive advantage and maximize cash flow for profitability.

COUNSELING TRAINING RESEARCH

One-on-one counseling is a no-cost service for individuals who want to improve, revitalize or expand their companies, and or develop a new venture. We also offer low-cost training sessions that provide valuable ideas to successfully grow your small business at all stages of development. Topics range from starting a business, securing financing and writing a marketing plan, to managing financials in a growing business or enhancing the growth of an existing business. Whether your company is totally new or long established, our trainings will provide valuable ideas to successfully grow your business.

For information on these and other programs go to www.misbtdc.org

Gerdau Special Steel North America said Friday it is starting the second phase of an expansion of its Monroe steel mill that will mean an investment of an additional $67 million at the E. Front St. plant.
The company said in May it would have a second phase to an expansion already in progress, but did not provide specifics on how much of an investment was planned or what it would involve.
This second phase of work, starting immediately and to be completed in the second half of 2013, will expand and modernize the rolling mill, including the installation of new equipment and major upgrades of existing facilities.
The company also plans to add a new walking beam reheat furnace and four additional rolling mill stands.
The existing rolling mill facilities also will get improvements to control systems, bundling and packaging systems, bar cooling beds and thermal mechanical cooling systems, the company said The investment comes on the heels of a $67 million upgrade and expansion for the Monroe mill that includes a new caster and vacuum degasser. This project is part of Gerdau’s plan to bring Monroe’s production capacity to more than 800,000 tons a year.
This Monroe capital expenditure is part of an overall investment plan announced in May and designed to increase the installed capacity of Gerdau’s special steel mills, located in Monroe; Fort Smith, Ark.; Jackson, Mich., and St. Paul, Minn. Gerdau also is conducting a study to determine the potential market readiness for an entirely new special bar quality production facility somewhere in North America.
“Our continued capital investment plan for the Monroe mill is a result of our confidence for continued recovery and growth of North American markets, as well as our continued commitment to the local community,” said Andre Gerdau B. Johannpeter, Gerdau chief executive officer.
In addition to increasing the overall capacity of the facility, the company said this second round of investment will offer its customers improved bar surface quality, increased reduction ratio, better bundling and packaging and improved decarburization control.
“This expansion and modernization will position our mill to meet the growing demands of our customers and contributes to the continued development of the Monroe community”, says Jack Finlayson, president, Gerdau Special Steel North America.

Charlie Slat, Evening News Staff Writer

What would bring such a diverse group of organizations like: Google, American-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Small Business Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC), MI-Restaurant Association and others together? We all agree that getting small businesses online is a critical element in advancing job creation in Michigan. (See below for a full list of organizational participants)

A worldwide leader in reaching this goal is the online search company Google who has led the organization of a series of statewide events across the country. “Michigan’s small business owners know the Internet is important, but setting up a web presence can seem complicated, expensive and time consuming. We’re here to show Michigan businesses that it doesn’t have to be that way,” says Mike Miller, head of Google’s Ann Arbor office, “Without an online presence, small businesses are virtually invisible to many potential customers, so this is an enormous economic opportunity for Michigan businesses.”

As a result, Michigan recently held two Get Your Business Online events in Kalamazoo and Detroit.  Over 1,200 small businesses attended the workshops where the public was provided the tools and resources to get online and succeed.  Specifically, the following topics were covered:

Create a free website:

• Create and publish a free website with Intuit Websites in less than 60 minutes.
• Get a free, easy-to-build, professional website from Intuit
• Get a free customized domain name and hosting for one year
• Claim and customize your free Google Places listing
• Learn how to optimize your new website to be found on Google

Running your business online:

• Find out how to take advantage of online tools to run and promote your business.
• Learn more about Google’s top tools for small businesses, including Google Places, Google Analytics, and Google Apps
• Discover how to get found and attract customers

Introduction to Google AdWords

• This is a beginner’s guide to Google AdWords, including how to get started and how to improve your performance
• Learn how to create your AdWords account, choose keywords, and write great ads
• Get answers to your questions from a Google AdWords expert
• Find out how Google ranks ads

Small businesses are vital to America’s economic future; the nation’s 27.5M small businesses comprise half the US GDP and create two-thirds of all new jobs. While 97% of Americans look online for local products and services, 63% of American small businesses do not have a website or online presence. That’s a lot of small businesses that are virtually invisible to potential customers looking online.

Getting all businesses in Michigan online will take a lot of work!  Small businesses in Michigan have used the web to reach new customers, delight existing customers and increase revenue. With this growth, they’ve been able to hire more employees and open new store locations. The MI-SBTDC will be working with Google in 2012 to launch workshops statewide to get Michigan businesses online.  Businesses can go online right now if they do not want to wait for the workshops – http://www.michigangetonline.com/

“Thanks to Google, small businesses in Michigan have a great opportunity to build or advance their business website and strategy for online marketing,” noted Carol Lopucki, State Director of the MI-SBTDC.  “We are thrilled to be partnering with Google on this tremendous program.”

Other comments provided by national co-sponsors include:

“As a leading provider of small business solutions, we know how small businesses can grow from getting online,” said Ralph Matlack, group product manager at Intuit. “We want Michigan small businesses to use our websites to create a customized presence that represents their unique brands.”

“Every day more business owners realize that meeting face-to-face to collaborate is by far the best way to get things done,” said Mary Telesco, vice president of Meetup, an online social networking tool that helps members join groups based on common interests. Meetup is partnering with Google on the initiative. “There are thousands of small business Meetup members helping each other succeed every day by connecting with one another, in-person,” Telesco said.

Michigan: Get Your Business Online is a joint initiative by the following partners: Google, Intuit, Meetup, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Centers, Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council, SCORE, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Michigan First, Ann Arbor Spark, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Association of Michigan, American-Arab Chamber of Commerce, Center for Empowerment and Economic Development, Focus: Hope, Michigan Non-Profit Association, Inforum, Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Medical Device Accelerator, Michigan Restaurant Association, TechTown, University of Michigan Business Engagement Center, Wayne State University Law School Small Business Clinic.

The Workforce Intelligence Network — a coalition of eight local community colleges, seven MichiganWorks agencies and economic development agencies working with local employers to identify and respond to employment needs — officially launched today.

BY CHARLES SLAT

ctslat@monroenews.com

Monroe Bank & Trust won the 2011 Governor’s Service Award for corporate com­munity involvement during ceremonies held with Gov. Rick Snyder on Monday night at the GEM Theatre in Detroit.

MBT took the top hon­ors in the corporate com­munity leader category in competition with four other finalists that included Com­erica Bank and AT&T, both of Detroit. The award is designed to recognize busi­nesses statewide that excel in community involvement by employees and includes corporate volunteer pro­grams, monetary contri­butions, in-kind gifts and employee-driven volunteer service.

MBT’s nomination cited its ENLIST employee vol­unteer program, which con­tributed more than 159,000 community service hours since it was created in 1984. It also noted the involve­ment of its key personnel in community organiza­tions, its financial literacy programs and its support of the Learning Bank Net­work, a neighborhood con­tinuing education center created in a closed bank branch building.

After grant money ex­pired, MBT recently con­tributed money to keep the Learning Bank running un­til a firmer source of fund­ing can be found.

“We are very honored to receive this recognition on behalf of the MBT employ­ees who give so generously of their time and talents throughout each and every year,” said H. Douglas Chaf­fin, MBT president and CEO. “It is especially hum­bling to be in such presti­gious company with our fel­low nominees.”

“Michigan is blessed to have so many volunteers who are working together to make a difference in their communities,” said Gov. Snyder.

“Though we can never truly thank them enough for their service and for the profound impact they make in their communi­ties, the Governors Service Awards are a way that we can recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of Michigan’s dedicated vol­unteers.”

Tenneco Inc. said it has been expanding around the globe, including in fast growing markets such as China, India and Thailand.Its global growth includes supplier relationships with Ford, Toyota and Nissan on new vehicles. “We’re moving quickly in these dynamic markets to establish new manufacturing facilities and enhance our engineering capabilities to continue supporting the needs of our customers,” said Josep Fornos, Ten­neco senior vice president, Europe, South America and India. “Our strong presence in these markets is driving incremental business with customers looking for sup­pliers who can serve global vehicle platforms in mul­tiple regions.”

Tenneco now is supplying 14 global vehicle platforms around the world. The shift toward global platforms ben­efi ts the vehicle manufac­turer as well as the supplier, with increased leverage in material sourcing, reduced investments in tooling and savings associated with global engineering develop­ment, the company said.

Tenneco has added or expanded five facilities in China within the last year, and plans are to move or expand two additional plants by the end of this year.In India, the company opened a new manufactur­ing facility in Chennai, marking its eleventh manufacturing operation there.Tenneco also expanded its presence in Thailand with the opening of a new ride control plant in Bangkok to support Nissan’s small car global platform.

New regulations in devel­oping countries are helping the company’s emission-con­trol business.

“Tenneco is extremely well-positioned in the emis­sion control market, guided by a roadmap aligning our technology development and commercialization with the mobile emissions regulatory timeline,” said Tim Jackson, Tenneco chief technology officer.“We also see growth in our ride control business with our wide range of technolo­gies including our innova­tive electronic suspension systems that balance the compromise between per­formance, comfort, ride and handling,” Mr. Jackson said.

Tenneco is based in Lake Forest, Ill., but its original equipment headquarters is located in Monroe Township.

Tenneco Inc. said it has been expanding around the globe, including in fast growing markets such as China, India and Thailand.Its global growth includes supplier relationships with Ford, Toyota and Nissan on new vehicles.

“We’re moving quickly in these dynamic markets to establish new manufactur­ing facilities and enhance our engineering capabilities to continue supporting the needs of our customers,” said Josep Fornos, Ten­neco senior vice president, Europe, South America and India. “Our strong presence in these markets is driving incremental business with customers looking for sup­plierswho  can serve global vehicle platforms in mul­tiple regions.”

Tenneco now is supplying 14 global vehicle platforms around the world. The shift toward global platforms ben­efi ts the vehicle manufac­turer as well as the supplier, with increased leverage in material sourcing, reduced investments in tooling and savings associated with global engineering develop­ment, the company said.

Tenneco has added or expanded five facilities in China within the last year, and plans are to move or expand two additional plants by the end of this year.In India, the company opened a new manufactur­ing facility in Chennai, marking its seventh manu­facturing operation there.

Tenneco also expanded its presence in Thailand with the opening of a new ride control plant in Bangkok to support Nissan’s small car global platform.New regulations in devel­oping countries are helping the company’s emission-con­trol business. “Tenneco is extremely well-positioned in the emis­sion control market, guided by a roadmap aligning our technology development and commercialization with the mobile emissions regulatory timeline,” said Tim Jackson, Tenneco chief technology officer.

“We also see growth in our ride control business with our wide range of technolo­gies including our innova­tive electronic suspension systems that balance the compromise between per­formance, comfort, ride and handling,” Mr. Jackson said.

Tenneco is based in Lake Forest, Ill., but its original equipment headquarters is located in Monroe Township.

Monroe Evening News, September 21, 2011

http://bridgemi.com/2011/09/michigan-produce-found-on-local-plates-global-trade-routes/ September 19, 2011

Lori Lennard is a third-generation Michigan potato grower whose family farm this year will harvest more than 100 million pounds of tubers destined for the potato-chip fryer and other uses.

Lennard Agriculture Co. – which has supplied Detroit-based Better Made Snack Foods with its main raw ingredient for nearly half a century – has burgeoned from 2,400 acres to 6,600 acres since 2002. In the same nine years, the Samaria company headquartered just north of Toledo has grown its payroll from about 10 full-time workers to 35 full-timers, with a proportional increase in the number of part-time jobs, as well.

Lennard Ag, which also branched out into growing corn for the ethanol market and other customers, is the kind of expanding business that industry advocates have in mind when they point to Michigan’s agriculture sector as one of the state’s best prospects for jobs creation and entrepreneurship.

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, about 1,600 food processing firms — from ice cream makers to baby food factories to pet food plants — rely on the produce of Michigan’s 10 million acres of farmland for many of their raw ingredients. MDARD says sugar beets alone drive business for some 1,000 “farm families” in the state, with some 4 million tons of the beets harvested each year.

In turn, the Michigan Sugar Co. co-op — which claims on its website to be the nation’s third-largest sugar maker — produces 1 billion pounds of sugar a year under the Big Chief and Pioneer labels.

And there is no question that ready access to produce has helped Michigan food-processing  companies and the suppliers that depend on them — from trucking to pie-making — thrive.

At Chelsea Milling Co., producer of the economy-priced Jiffy Mix baking supplies, general manager Jack Kennedy says the ability to contract with about 20 area farmers a year to grow a special type of soft winter wheat is a make-it-or-break-it proposition for his company.

“Transportation costs are key — we couldn’t compete the way we can now without that edge,” said Kennedy. “If we had to go outside Michigan to get wheat, all that would change. We have made sure that we are located in the midst of a very ample supply.”

Echoing the freight-cost concerns, Better Made production manager Alan Lee says local access to chip potatoes saves on shipping expenses for the 300,000-plus pounds of spuds it uses each day and allows Better Made to exert the quality control it desires.

“You’ve got a history there,” he said. “And they’re in our backyard: If you need more, you can make a phone call and it’s on its way.

And on the flip side, said Lori Lennard, repeat business like the sales to Better Made have fueled her company’s growth for more than 50 years. “In the farm world, you can’t grow if the demand isn’t there,” she said.

Lisa P. Jackson, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency administrator, and a host of other federal, state and local officials hailed the new Ventower Industries plant in Monroe as a prime example of a green industry creating tomorrow’s jobs on a landfill from yesteryear.

“We are both excited and proud to be at this point in our development,” said James Viciana, Ventower chairman. “We’re excited because we now have a facility here in which we sit that is capable of providing towers in the renewable energy sector. We are building these towers with local people and local equipment and local steel. We are proud to be here in the Port of Monroe, in the City of Monroe, in the State of Michigan, in the United States.”