News

NELA USA Announces Relocation to River Falls

NELA USA, a manufacturer of register punching and bending machines and machines for offset printing plates, announced it will relocate to River Falls, Wisconsin following the acquisition of a 53,000 square foot facility in the Whitetail Ridge Corporate Park.

The facility, located at 610 Whitetail Boulevard, will integrate NELA's engineering, production, and customer service functions. NELA USA employs around 60 people at their current location in Oakdale, Minnesota and serves markets in North and South America.

"We are very happy to become part of the River Falls manufacturing community and we believe Wisconsin's business climate will be very helpful to our future growth," said David Klein, president of NELA USA.

The parent company of NELA is based in Lahr, Germany. NELA expanded into the United States in 2000 by merging with the former Ternes Register Systems in suburban St. Paul, Minnesota. Through the purchase of the Ternes assets, NELA became the world's largest manufacturer of punch and bending systems. NELA also has an operation in Asia to serve those markets.

NELA's equipment provides innovative solutions and efficiencies for newspapers and commercial printers. NELA's systems have been installed at over 250 locations, including the New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Houston Chronicle, Star Tribune, Dow Jones & Company, Zero Hora, and O Globo (both located in Brazil). NELA lists Heidelberg, Goss, Kodak and Agfa as its OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partners.

NELA's operations in the U.S., Germany, and Asia make it the largest technologist and state-of-the-art manufacturer of plate automation and register systems in the world. More information about NELA is available at www.nela-usa.com.

 New degree delivers skilled green collar job
prospects for Wisconsin

Wisconsin Technology Network (WTN)

Energy independence and an educated workforce are critical to a prosperous future for Wisconsin. To respond, the University of Wisconsin-Extension is charging in with a bold new degree: the nation's first online Sustainable Management bachelor's degree. For the first time, UW-Extension has brought together the strengths of four different University of Wisconsin campuses - UW-Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout and UW-Superior-to craft a degree completion program that equips workers with the management skills they will need to lead sustainable business initiatives.

In as little as two years, Corporate America will be able to tap these newly minted Green Collar managers. UW-Extension and its four campus partners received Board of Regents approval for the new degree Friday. Applications for Fall 2009 will be accepted beginning May 15.

"I commend the UW-Extension for developing the nation's first online Sustainable Management bachelor's degree," said Department of Commerce Secretary Richard J. Leinenkugel. "The Green Economy has real growth potential in Wisconsin, and we will need skilled and talented workers to get the job done."

Full Article: http://wistechnology.com/articles/6079/

Study Ranks Eau Claire as Most Affordable
City in the State

WEAU TV-13

Our paychecks apparently stretch farther in Eau Claire than in any other city in the state.

The cost of living index shows Eau Claire is the most affordable city in Wisconsin for the first quarter in 2009. That's according to the Council for Community and Economic Research. The index measures relative prices for local goods and services.

Wisconsin Rapids and Green Bay came in second and third.

Full Article: http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/47000337.html

We have had a lot of new companies searching for talent on the SMARTT Network!

Is your profile being found by these companies?

In order to be searchable by businesses, your profile must be "active". If you're looking for a new opportunity in Western Wisconsin, or if you just want to keep your options open, be sure to make your profile active so that you can be found! You can always opt-out without revealing your identity if you're not interested.

How do I make my profile active?

• 1) Log in to your account
• 2) Click on "My Account"
• 3) UN-check the box that says "Make my profile hidden from employers"
• 4) Click "Update" and you're done!

 UW-River Falls University Center Wins National Award

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls University Center was one of five buildings to receive a Facility Design Award of Excellence at the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) National Conference in April. Each year, the ACUI presents the award to those buildings that represent excellence in design of student-centered facilities that support campus community building and student learning.

Cara Rubis, director of the University Center, and Jan van den Kieboom, from Workshop Architects of Milwaukee; the architects for the University Center, were present to accept the award.

Full Article: http://www.architechweb.com

UW-River Falls University Center: http://www.uwrf.edu/buildings/university_center.htm

Presto faring well in rocky economy

Eau Claire Leader-Telegram

"Cautious optimism" could best describe the mood Tuesday afternoon during the 104th annual shareholders meeting at Eau Claire-based National Presto Industries.

Maryjo Cohen, president and chief executive officer, described 2008 as the "strongest year in the history of the company." In a national economy fraught with bad news, Presto did not have any job, salary or benefit cuts. However, Cohen cautioned that it's hard to predict what 2009 will bring considering the economic climate and a new administration in the White House

Presto operates in three segments: housewares/small appliances, defense and absorbent products. The company had total net sales of $448.2 million in 2008, a 6.5 percent increase from the previous year and nearly three times the total for 2004. It reported $44.2 million in net earnings for 2008, a 14.4 percent rise.

 Full Story: http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-business.asp?id=BK2QP528K1D 

Welcome to the SMARTT Network!

Take a few moments to check out the company profiles of these great companies in Western Wisconsin!

Recent New Subscribers:

Red Cedar Medical Center
Wisconsin Independent Network
Bush Brothers Co.
State Farm Insurance

New Partnering Educational Institutions:
The SMARTT Network recently signed an agreement with Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College to reach out to students, faculty, and alumni and keep them connected to opportunities in Western Wisconsin.

state-of-the-art technology maps the way to
brain and spine surgery

www.sacredhearthospital-ec.org

Sacred Heart Hospital is one of 17 hospitals in the world equipped with a configuration of state-of-the-art neurosurgical technology called Smart OR.

The system is designed for viewing and executing complex brain and spine surgeries, and its capabilities include high-resolution microscopy, integrated mapping, intraoperative MRI and data processing. The technology increases the chances of removing a tumor in its entirety while decreasing the risk of damage to areas surrounding the malignancy.

Since its debut at Sacred Heart Hospital in November, the Smart OR has been a success. About 25 to 30 patients have undergone neurosurgery, and in all cases tumors were completely removed.

Full Story: http://www.sacredhearthospital-ec.org/

Sacred Heart Installs Dual Source CT Scanner

Full Story: http://www.weau.com/news/headlines/46657292.html

Conroy wins C.L. Greiber Award for Merit

Dan Conroy, operations manager for the Nexen Group, a Minnesota-based manufacturing company with a facility in Webster, Wis., has recently been awarded the C.L. Greiber Award of Merit.

Conroy has been actively involved in helping to promote the manufacturing industry and the many high-paying jobs it offers. This has made him a perfect representative of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College and the many manufacturing-based career options it provides.

Through his involvement with Manufacturing Works, an organization that promotes jobs in manufacturing, Conroy has helped to raise awareness for the role the industry plays in our country's economic growth and ability to compete in a global marketplace. Manufacturing Works represents a partnership of Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, Chippewa Valley Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Conroy has also been active in Gold Collar Careers, a grass-roots organization with membership from both the manufacturing community and the public sector, that promotes manufacturing.

 Full Story: http://www.witc.edu/newscontent/collegeconnect/conroy.pdf

Over 100 Technologies Available for Licensing

SMARTT Network is working to drive innovation within existing businesses and spur early-stage business growth

Over 100 technologies are now available for licensing on the SMARTT^® Network. Visitors can browse through a variety of innovative technologies; the list of technologies covers bio-agriculture, bio-energy, medical device, chemicals and others. Possible applications for these technologies include cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, building materials, and food additives.

The SMARTT Network has an agreement with the Center for Advanced Technology and Innovation (CATI) of Racine, WI to list their 300+ technologies on the SMARTT Network by this summer.

"One of the biggest impediments to economic growth is often the ability to bring together the three components of value-added business development: capital; talent; and ideas," says Matt Wagner, Executive Director of CATI. "The SMARTT Network provides the forum to bridge those three elements in an accelerated fashion."

 Browse available technologies

Featured Technology: Alginate to Create Olive or Fruit Simulated Snacks

Description: These technologies use alginates to create olive or fruit simulated shapes with a celled texture using fruit, vegetable, or meat puree. Vitamins, minerals, or other substances can be encapsulated in the restructured puree form. Dimples on opposing sides of the shapes make the restructured puree form seem more realistic. The technologies provided include the equipment for producing olive, fruit, and meat purees, and the patents for the puree idea itself.

View this technology: http://www.smarttnetwork.com/Smartt/a/technology/archive?tech=8