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Administrative
Assistant Farewell~
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As
of Friday, January 6th, 2012, I am no longer with MEDA. I plan to
graduate in May and decided to spend my last semester with Michigan
State, studying abroad at Lancaster University in the UK.
Thank you to everyone in the CBP community for
everything you have taught me while I've been at MEDA. I look forward
to staying in contact with you through LinkedIn (especially if you
need a recent MSU grad to fill a position, I'm looking to hire come
July :) )
Most importantly thank you John and Cassandra, without
your guidance and encouragement I would not have grown as I have.
Thank you and happy new year!
Jordan Brown
MEDA Administrative Assistant 2010-2012
brown213@msu.edu
LinkedIn
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CBP
Application Process and Form Changes
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MEDA has changed the process to a mostly electronic application with
hopes of a quicker and easier certification process.
The
new criteria's of certification/recertification are as follows:
1. Materials are due
June 1st of the park's inspection year. This allows
the inspectors' time to inspect before the winter months. Parks will
be notified in December of their upcoming spring recertification.
2.
There will be only
one form for all certifications/recertifications (you
will still need to send us updated covenants and site maps). This
form will be sent to you as an Excel
spreadsheet. For the first (re)certification the park
manager/owner has to fill out the blank form, for following years,
they will get the form emailed back to them with a copy of the most
current covenants on file, and they will only need to make the
necessary changes. You can see the new
CBP
certification/recertification form
here.
*Save time and
postage by returning the form to MEDA via email!
3.
First time applicants you can find the new form on the website.
Currently certified parks must contact
MEDA for their previous years form.
4.
The inspectors will be given a new handout Make the Most of CBP
Marketing Benefits to give to the parks after
inspection; this form will give tips and a checklist on how to start
using the marketing benefits that come along with certification.
Please
contact the MEDA office with any questions.
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Austrian
Firm Has Eye on Lansing
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Lindsay
VanHulle
Lansing State
Journal
An Austrian injection molding manufacturer wants to open its new
North American subsidiary in Lansing, a move that would create up to
10 jobs.
The deal is contingent on whether the company receives tax breaks on
real and personal property.
Elmet North America Inc. has its eye on 6,000 square feet in the Oakwood Executive Park,
which straddles Lansing and Delhi Township, and plans to invest more
than $750,000 in its business.
But locating here - an ideal choice because of its proximity to
suppliers in Adrian and Midland - isn't guaranteed without local tax
incentives, said Ryan Cutler, the company's local president.
Elmet North America is the first subsidiary of Elmet GmbH, based in
Oftering, Austria. The company manufactures molds out of silicone
rubber for infant care products, medical components and other uses.
The subsidiary, founded in September, has applied for a 50 percent
reduction of real property taxes on its share of the Oakwood
facility, as well as a 100 percent reduction of personal property
taxes.
The real property incentive would expire in five years. The personal
property exemption would end in six.
"It allows them to make some expensive equipment purchases up
front," said Ken Szymusiak, director of business investment and
innovation for the Lansing Economic Development Corp. "We're in
competition with other communities, and this makes our hand a little
better."
Elmet North America plans to invest $15,000 in real property and
roughly $753,500 in personal property, the latter including machinery
and equipment purchases over five years, according to its
application.
Cutler estimated between seven to 10 jobs could be created by the end
of the fifth year.
The local incentives require Lansing City Council approval before
they are sent to the state tax commission. The council is likely to
take up the issue in December. Its development and planning committee
was to discuss the issue this week.
Elmet hopes to start its North American operations Jan. 1. The
facility will serve customers in North and South America and serve as
a sort of showroom for its products.
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2012
Upcoming Park Inspections
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Below is a list of the parks that are scheduled for recertification
in 2012. Inspectors and park managers/owners please be aware of your
upcoming inspection. You can find the new form here.
Northern
Lower Peninsula
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First Street Business Park
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Pere Marquette Industrial Park
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White Cloud Industrial Park
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Centreville Industrial Park
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Greenville Industrial Park
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Three Rivers Airport Industrial Park
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Big Rapids Township Airport Business Park
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Samuel Combs Industrial Park
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South Ithaca Industrial Park
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St. Louis Woodside Industrial Centre
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Williamston I-96 Industrial Park (Phase 1)
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Donald E. Shelton Industrial Park
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Edward F. Redies Industrial Park
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Haggerty Corridor Corporate Park
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Sauk Trail Business Park
DON'T
FORGET TO HAVE YOUR MATERIALS IN BY JUNE
1ST SO THAT THE INSPECTORS HAVE A
CHANCE TO INSPECT BEFORE SNOW FALL.
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2010-2011
Expansion: Scherdel Sales & Technology
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Scherdel Sales & Technology, headquartered in Germany, has been
located in Muskegon Township since 1999. The company produces
high-end springs and stampings for automobiles and they house a
sample & prototype shop, which enables them to form quick
relationships to client projects.
The company is currently completing a 22,500 square-foot addition,
which is located within the newly certified P. Don Aley Industrial
Park. The expansion will allow for the
creation of 15-25 jobs and will enable Scherdel to increase their
ability to supply to leading manufacturers around the world. The
Muskegon Township manufacturer currently supplies to customers such
as Akebono, Borg Warner, Bosch, Continental Teves, Federal Mogul,
Hilite International, Schaffler Group, and TRW. They also export
goods to Mexico, Europe and Asian countries.
Scherdel Sales & Technology has production sites in 11 countries
that include Brazil, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Japan,
Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Slovakian Republic, and the only United
Sates plant here in Muskegon.
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Monthly
Hits to CBP Pages Remain Steady
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Every
month MEDA updates their "2011 CBP Website Hit Report",
which gives CBP members an opportunity to see how many hits their
park's web page gets. The report is updated through December, so now
you can see your hits through the year 2011.
As
you will see on the report, hits to the site continue to be steady in
comparison to 2010. Click here to view the 2010 report.
If
you have any tips or advice on how you direct traffic to your CBP
site, please share with the MEDA staff so that we can pass it along
to the CBP community.
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Lyon
Township Industrial Park Gets State Designation
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Observer
& Eccentric
It is the first certified business park in Lyon Township. The park
consists of nearly 150 acres of prime industrially-approved property
that includes a 60-acre conservation area and is already home to
several companies. Existing tenants include A M Label, Future Pak,
Ltd., Kawasaki Robotics, Lord Corporation, MC Carbide Tool Co.,
Mohawk Industries, Inc./ Dee Cramer Carpet, and Testek, Inc.
According to the Michigan Economic Developers Association, about 40
percent of the park is occupied.
Township officials believe the new designation will help retain the
existing businesses and attract new ones, not to mention help gain
some recognition for Lyon Township outside of the community.
The Certified Business Park program was established by the Michigan
Economic Development Association (MEDA) and the Michigan Economic
Development Corporation (MEDC). The program has set the standard for
business/industrial parks in Michigan for more than 35 years, letting
prospective occupants know that they can expect to find uniformity
and high quality characteristics within certified parks and that
their investment in that property is secure.
There are approximately 60 Certified Business Parks in Michigan.
"This lets developers know the park is shovel ready, and an
attractive place to do business," said Michelle Aniol, Lyon
Township DDA administrator/economic development coordinator.
"It's a win-win for the developer, existing tenants already in
the park, and it's a big, big plus for the township."
Irene Spanos, newly appointed director of Oakland County's Economic
Development and Community Affairs, praised the township for helping
the park get the state designation.
"On behalf of Oakland County's Economic Development Team, we are
thrilled to see Lyon Township get this industrial property certified
from the state of Michigan. It's yet another tool we can offer to
companies who are interested in locating in our community," she
said in a news release.
For more information about the Quadrants Industrial Research Centre,
contact:
Todd Wyett
CEO of Versa Real Estate
PH: (248) 352-2454
todd@versacos.com.
Click here to view the press release.
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CBP
Discussion Group on LinkedIn
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The
Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) is always looking for
new ways to promote the Certified Business Park (CBP) program as well
as provide opportunities for park owners and operators to interact
and share ideas. This is why MEDA recently added a discussion group
for CBP owners and operators on the popular, business
connection-oriented social media website, LinkedIn. To access the CBP
Discussion Group click here.
If you don't already have a LinkedIn account, it is free and easy to
sign up for one. You can also access the CBP Discussion Group on
LinkedIn by going to the CBP Webpage and clicking the
"Follow us on LinkedIn" button. This group is open to the
public, so anyone interested in Certified Business Parks can join!
Contact us if you have any discussion topics or questions for other
CBP owners/operators.
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Monosem
Inc. to Double Size of Facility in Ithaca
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Precision Planter Manufacturer Continues to See Market Growth
Ithaca, Michigan - In response to increased demand for large row crop
planters, Kansas-based custom planter manufacturer Monosem Inc. will
expand its satellite production facility in the Ithaca Industrial Park
(Gratiot County, Michigan) from 9,000 sq. ft. to 18,000 sq. ft.
This planned expansion will allow increased production capacity and
include hiring additional employees. The Monosem Satellite Facility
opened in 2008 and has seen higher output every year since opening.
Company officials credit Ithaca and Gratiot County's industrial
heritage and local talent for much of the plant's success.
"Ithaca's history of vendor relationships with the aircraft and
automobile industries has helped us transition, adapt and succeed in
the last few years," says Loren Roslund, Monosem Regional Sales
Representative.
Tony Bakker, President of Monosem Inc. notes, "Ithaca has a
number of quality suppliers that have established good working
relationships for our production needs and we are happy to be a
partner in this community."
Mayor George Bailey comments, "We are grateful for Monosem's
latest investment, and for their recognition that almost anything can
be successfully built right here in Ithaca. As a strong agricultural
community, we welcome their continued growth."
Don Schurr, President of Greater Gratiot Development, Inc. echoes
Monosem representatives in citing local talent that has made this and
other recent industrial projects successful. "Monosem's success
in Gratiot County is a testament to the significant cluster of
high-caliber companies we have in the regional industrial supply
chain. We are fortunate to have Monosem growing here, further
solidifying the future of advanced manufacturing as an economic
driver in the Great Lakes Bay Region." The expanded plant is
expected to be operational by early 2012.
Monosem is an international brand that specializes in high quality
precision planters. For more information about Monosem Inc. visit www.monosem-inc.com.
For more information about business opportunities in Gratiot County,
visit www.gratiot.org.
Contacts:
Loren Roslund
Regional Sales Representative
Monosem Inc.
Phone: (989) 875-3310
Don
Schurr
President
Greater
Gratiot Development, Inc.
Phone: (989)
875-2083
Chelsey
Foster
City Manager
City of
Ithaca
Phone: (989)
875-3200
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Improve
Hit Results for Your CBP
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And other ways to benefit from Google Analytics
(Not
on Google Analytics yet? Email Cassandra to find out how to start!)
1. Find your Simple URL!
Go to cbp.medaweb.org; click "CBP Simple URL's," which is
the last option on the left column menu. These URL's are easy to
remember, easy to share, and can be added to printed materials!
2.
Your park link could be added to the following partner websites:
b. Convention and Visitors Bureau
h. On those sites, consider the "Sites and
Buildings Available" page
3.
Your park link - with or without an
article - could
be added to the above partners' print or electronic newsletters.
4.
Remember to SHARE links. Offer to put their
link on your site and in your newsletter as well. Sharing links not
only builds partnerships, but it improves web hits!
5.
Check where hits are coming from on Google Analytics.
Make connections between the countries and cities that your CBP is
receiving hits. Is there a company from Japan local to you that might
have looked at your web page? Is there an industry in the area that
the hits are coming from and can you market to that industry?
6.
Check the dates of the web page hits on Google Analytics.
If hits are trending the same days, was a marketing piece put out in
that time period? Judge the effectiveness of the pieces that way!
7.
Make sure your CBP page is up to date!
According to Google, the more often you update your content, the more
often you will be visited by fresh bots. The MEDA staff is always
ready to update your page with new content. Contact the MEDA office 517-241-0011
with questions.
8.
Post on the CBP discussion board on LinkedIn.
Use the full name of your park or community on your page for more
chances to be picked up by search engines.
9.
Go to where your hits are coming from.
If a majority of the hits on your Analytics report are from a certain
area, see if there is a trade show or event that you could exhibit.
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Cartridges
Are Us Expanding - Again
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Matthew
J. Grassi
Gratiot County
Herald
Ithaca
based Cartridges Are Us is putting the finishing touches on a 30,000
square foot expansion at their facility in the South Ithaca
Industrial Park. The company, which
was founded in 1997 in St. Johns before expanding to Ithaca in 2003,
currently employs 405 full-time workers, making it the second largest
private employer in Gratiot County. (Herald Photos - Grassi)
The second largest private employer in Gratiot County is putting the
finishing touches on a 30,000 square foot expansion that will
eventually result in additional employment opportunities for area
folks.
Cartridges Are Us (CAU), which is a division of Clover Technologies
Inc., is located in the South Ithaca Industrial Park and currently
boasts 405 full time employees.
According to CAU Vice President Angie Iocco, the company manufactures
about one million ink jet cartridges per month, shipping them to
locations across the globe.
The expansion, which started back in November of last year and is the
companies' third addition to the facility at 100 Raycraft Dr., will
allow CAU to house additional inventory.
"With this expansion, we'll be able to house more of our empties
here," said Iocco. "We actually brought back to Michigan
part of our business that was previously done in Mexico."
Apparently, the Mittens' climate is not only ideal for maple syrup
production and ice fishing, but also for refilling ink cartridges.
"The temperature and humidity levels here are optimal for ink
jet remanufacturing," said Iocco.
Of course, sometimes those ideal Michigan weather conditions cause
headaches, even for large corporations.
The project hit a small speed bump back in February, when the 2011
"Snowmaggedon" blizzard knocked out the structures' outer
walls.
Now nearing completion, the finished product will consist of an open
ground level that will house the companies shipping and receiving
wing, as well as cartridge storage and refilling areas.
A future mezzanine level may be added to house a research and
development microchip technology center.
CAU was founded in 1997 in St. Johns and moved to Ithaca in 2003.
When they began operations in Gratiot County, the business was a
small operation of 40 employees. Thanks in large part to Greater
Gratiot Development Inc. President Don Schurr and Ithaca City Manager
Chelsey Foster, the company has found a warm welcoming, permanent
home in Ithaca.
"It's always nice to give credit where credit is due," said
Iocco. "Without Don and Chelsey and their tireless efforts, we
would not be here (in Ithaca). They've been a great help in
facilitating this expansion and securing all the things we needed to
make this a reality."
Several local contractors got in on the action as well. Pyramid
Controls, Powell's Plumbing, Dice Excavators, Meddlers, Larry's
Hardware, and Self-Serve Lumber are just a few of the local and
Michigan based companies CAU contracted with.
The company planned to begin moving equipment into the expansion last
Monday and Iocco estimates it will take around three to four days to
complete the move.
Anyone interested in applying for employment with CAU is encouraged
to submit their resume via fax at 989-875-8127, email at info@cartridgesareus.com,
or good old-fashioned snail mail by mailing it to:
Cartridges
Are Us
100 Raycraft Dr.
Ithaca, MI 48847
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MEDA
CBP Program Featured in The Michigan Assessor Magazine, Looking for
Feedback on Certified Business Parks
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The
Michigan Assessor
Warren J. Cook,
MEDA Chairperson
ASSESSORS: Please submit information by September 30, 2011
The Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) was founded in
1960 to advance economic development throughout Michigan, and to
increase it's individual member's effectiveness as an economic
development professional. One of the long-standing MEDA activities
has been its Certified Business Park (CBP) Program.
Economic developers have long recognized the need for uniformity in
the term "business park". The expression designates certain
kinds of managed districts or subdivisions that are established for sites
to be occupied by groups of manufacturing and/or high tech industry
facilities. The Certified Business Park Program was designed to
establish an array of uniformly high quality manufacturing and
research & development site options in communities throughout the
state.
Businesses looking for new sites have long known that there are many
types of business parks. Some are little more than cornfields,
completely lacking in basic services and amenities. Others are well
planned and executed with infrastructure, amenity and development
standards, land use controls and legal covenants to assure businesses
that their investments will comply with community standards and
expectations and be secure.
Some advantages that come with a CBP designation include: professionally
developed marketing materials that help promote location and
development in the park, the use of camera-ready artwork of the CBP
logo to use in the owner/manager's own promotional materials, a
certificate signed by the Governor, an separate set of pages for each
park within the MEDA CBP website, access to the analysis of each
park's website visitors via Google Analytics, the ability to modify a
park's CBP pages by the owner/
manager, recognition from clients and prospects that each park meets
statewide high standards for conformity and continuity of structures,
and, if located within a qualified local unit of government, the
potential to
capture property taxes to aide in the financing of public
infrastructure improvements in or around the park. For details on the
advantages of having a business park become certified please use the
following website page link:
www.medaweb.org/Advantages_of_CBPs.ihtml?id=290299
The MEDA CBP program recognizes and promotes those business parks
that have been certified. To be certified, park developers and
operators
document conformance with a uniform set of development standards and
land use controls. These standards reflect those used in other high
quality, professionally managed business site developments. All 62
business
parks in the CBP program are shovel-ready and meet the qualifications
jointly established by the State of Michigan and the Michigan
Economic Developers Association. For details on the specific criteria
used in each CBP certification, please use the following website page
link: www.medaweb.org/Join_the_Program.ihtml?id=290313
In advance of Michigan's economic recovery, we ask for your help as
Assessor and Equalization professionals to insure that no eligible
parks in Michigan are overlooked by site consultants and local firms
looking to expand simply because they may not know of this voluntary
program.
We are asking for your help to begin that effort. The first step it
to assemble a list of all known business, technology and industrial
parks in each county. As that list emerges, MEDA staff will contact
the manager/developer associated with each park, provide an exposure
to the CBP Program and, if eligible, an opportunity to become a
Certified Business Park.
The information being requested from each Assessor Office includes:
1. Name, Address of existing business park(s)
2. County
3. Park Owner/Operator - if known
4. Assessor name and contact information
If you do have a business park within your jurisdiction, please
forward the above basic information to Cassandra Jorae (cjorae@medaweb.org).
On behalf of the entire MEDA membership, thank you for your help with
this initiative. It is a foundation activity for local economic
growth.
Warren J.
Cook, Chairperson
Certified Business Park Committee
Michigan Economic Developers Association
P.O. Box 15096
Lansing, MI 48901-5096
Phone: 517-241-0011
Email: meda@medaweb.org
www.medaweb.org
Click here to see the article featured in
the Michigan Assessor
(note: jump to page 36 to view the article)
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Blackman
Township manufacturer that makes Police, Military equipment gets
go-ahead to build new facility
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Keith
Roberts
Jackson Citizen
Patriot
GSL Technology is moving to a bigger facility so it can grow.
The Blackman Township Planning Commission on October 18th, 2011
unanimously approved a site plan for the manufacturer, which makes
police and military equipment, so it can build a new facility on 4.25
acres in the Jackson Technology
Park.
"I'm happy we got a lot of cooperation from Blackman
Township," owner Greg Latka said. "I can't wait to get in
there."
GSL has been in a 7,000-square-foot building at 2725 Cooper St. since
2007. Latka hopes to break ground on the new 14,000-square-foot
facility this fall and move in the spring. He said he has 10
employees now but plans to hire a few more once he has more space.
Blackman Township Building Official Dan Gough said GSL had a good set
of plans for the facility and township officials signed off on them.
"It was kind of a no brainer," Gough said.
Dan Decker, chairman of the planning commission, said industry is
still an important part of the economy and he is pleased to see a
business "that actually makes something" grow.
"Any time you can get someone who is investing in industry -
that's critical," Decker said.
The Jackson Technology Park, off County Farm Road in Blackman
Township's SmartZone, also includes TAC Manufacturing, Maverick
Industries and the Baker College Business Technology Center.
Chemetall U.S. Inc. is building a facility there.
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MEDA
Region 5 - Highlights on Southeast Michigan
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 Southeast Michigan is perhaps the
most well-known region of Michigan. It houses Detroit, Ann Arbor,
Pontiac, a very large population, many new industries, world-renowned
universities like the University of Michigan and Wayne State
University, one of the busiest airports in the world is the Detroit
Metro Airport, and popular sports teams, including the Detroit Lions,
Tigers, Red Wings and Pistons. Besides the big cities, there are
several growing cities and communities in this region such as Novi, Monroe,
Dearborn, Adrian and Ypsilanti. The list of opportunities, growth,
and amazing places in Southeast Michigan is extensive.
Top
industries and employment areas include professional and business
services, manufacturing, regional trade, government and education and
health services.
Michigan's
East Coast is full of activities, whether you are looking for
shopping, recreation, sports venues, concerts, casinos, unique
restaurants and history or educational museums and exhibits, there is
always something available, accommodations around every corner to
make your stay as comfortable as possible and transportation to take
you from place to place.
In
the summer, enjoy one of over 40 golf courses within the counties
that make up Southeast Michigan. Take your friends and family to a
football game at the University of Michigan if you are craving live
sports. Music festivals are held often in the area, including the
Stars and Stripes Festival in Detroit, the Michigan Elvisfest in
Ypsilanti and many, many more.
In
the winter, take the slopes at the Mt. Brighton Ski Lodge or go
snowmobiling at the Island Lake Recreation Area. Winter festivals
include the Blues Festival in Ferndale and the Trap Attack Ice
Fishing Festival in Brooklyn. The possibilities are endless!
Southeast Certified Business
Parks
Almont Research
Industrial Park
Beck North Corporate Park
Centerpoint Business Campus
Central Business Park
Dexter Business and Research Park
Donald E. Shelton Industrial Park
Edward F. Redies Industrial Park
Lapeer Industrial and Research Park
St. Clair County Air Industrial Park
Sauk Trail Business Park
Wixom Business Center
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Jordan Brown
Michigan Economic Developers Association
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Congratulations Recertifications!
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Beck North Corporate
Park
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