Month: January 2017

Radius Indiana Begins 2017 Outreach in Chicago

BEDFORD, Ind. (Jan. 27, 2017) – A team from Radius Indiana met with site selectors and business advisers in Chicago this month to share the advantages of doing business in the Radius region.

This is the first visit in a series of economic development trips that Radius has planned for 2017, and continues on the successful outreach program the organization began in 2016. Ensuring that decision makers know about the area’s offerings is a primary focus for Radius Indiana, the regional partnership representing Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington Counties.

Mayor Joe Wellman of Washington, Ind. and Ron Arnold, executive director of the Daviess County Economic Development Corporation joined Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle during the trip. The group met with commercial and industrial realtors, and accounting firms to discuss potential opportunities in the Radius region.

“We are continually working to create as many connections as possible with those on the front lines looking for sites,” said Arnold. “Our region is well positioned in terms of infrastructure and available sites to be a top contender for companies looking to expand or relocate in Indiana.”

During their visit, the Radius team shared a review of projects that occurred in the region in 2016. Also part of the group’s discussions were available sites in the region, incentives for businesses in a variety of industry sectors, and the $42 million Southwest Central Indiana Initiative, and the regional focus on workforce training and development.

“Networking and building relationships with businesses is very important to having successful development in our region,” Mayor Wellman said.

Washington recently became the home to M&C Tech, the first Japanese manufacturer to locate a facility in the Radius region.

Radius Indiana will partner with additional Local Economic Development Organizations from the region’s respective counties for future visits in Indiana and other states across the country.

ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

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National and Regional Speakers to Headline Radius Indiana’s Economic Development Course

BEDFORD, Ind. (Jan. 26, 2017) – Radius Indiana released the list of speakers for its first regional economic development conference for community leaders coming to the French Lick Springs Resort in March 2017.

Speakers include site selection professionals, economic development experts and marketing consultants from national and regional organizations.

Keynote speaker Larry Gigerich from national site selection firm Ginovus will lead two sessions during the conference. During his “Business attraction” session, Gigerich will share his perspective regarding the most effective ways to attract new companies to an area and how corporate decision makers and site selection consultants evaluate an area and key decision-making criteria. For the “Marketing to Consultants” session he will share data regarding the number of projects managed by site selection firms as compared to companies conducting projects on their own. In addition, Gigerich will discuss what is effective and what fails when marketing to site selectors.

“I am delighted to spend time in the Radius region to share my experience from a site selector perspective,” said Gigerich. “I will share the importance of leveraging regional assets and industry clusters to help highlight the best attributes for a region and share insight on how site selectors weigh information during the selection process.”

Other speakers and sessions include: Introduction to Economic Development with Jim Plump, Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation; Real Estate/Site Development with Chelsey Manns, Manns Consulting; Business Retention and Expansion with Jason Hester, Greater Columbus Economic Development Corporation; Abatement/TIF/Incentives with Matt Eckerle, Umbaugh and Associates; and Entrepreneurship with Steve Bryant, Ivy Tech.

“We excited to bring together this group of speakers to share their expertise with our region. This is a new educational experience for our community leaders, and I believe the information will be invaluable to helping them enhance their economic development knowledge and support for their own communities’ efforts in the field,” said Radius Indiana President and CEO Jeff Quyle.

Radius Indiana’s vision is to help communities grow strong, working groups of local leaders versed in economic development who can affect policies and strategies for intentional business growth and skills-driven workforce development.

Registration for the Radius Indiana Economic Development for Community Leadership Program, which takes place March 28, 29 and 30, is available at www.radiusindiana.com under the News Center tab. Registration for leaders in the Radius eight-county region is $400, and $475 for those who live outside the region.

Radius also plans to make several scholarships available from its own office as well as area utilities and banks. Local Economic Development Organizations and those interested in attending are encouraged to contact the Radius Indiana office to learn more about scholarship opportunities in their area.

ABOUT RADIUS INDIANA: Radius Indiana is a regional economic development partnership representing eight counties in Southern Indiana: Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawrence, Martin, Orange, and Washington. Formed in 2009, Radius Indiana also serves as a point of contact in Indiana for Naval Support Activity Crane and leads regional collaboration by leveraging the diverse assets of the region to drive attraction, retention and expansion of business, thereby increasing employment and investment opportunities and quality of life within the region.

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Investment Keeps Ammunition Activity Moving Forward

By Matt Craig, Radius Indiana director of Crane Community Support
Crane Army Ammunition Activity is the stalwart at Naval Support Activity Crane. Long before the creation

 

of Radius Indiana, the economic development partnership working to expand, retain and attract business in southern Indiana, Crane was providing jobs and growing the economy in our region. When Crane was commissioned in 1941, its original directive was to serve as an ammunition production facility and depot — manufacturing, storing and repairing ammunition to the front lines during World War II.
Seventy-five years later, this vital function continues at Crane Army Ammunition Activity, and the Activity is evolving to meet the needs of today’s warfighters. The sophistication of current operations is yet another example of the advanced manufacturing capabilities we are known for in the Radius Indiana region. Technology has advanced, and we are witnessing the Activity keeping pace with other manufacturing facilities in our region.

The Activity employs more than 800 ordnance production, logistic and transportation experts and includes more than 200 production buildings and 1,800 ammunition storage buildings. In 2016, Crane Army Ammunition Activity invested $6 million in equipment and more than $16 million in facility improvements.

Part of the investment comes through Crane Army Ammunition Activity’s active participating in the Army’s Logistics Modernization Program, which is the Army’s core initiative to replace the largest, most important national-level logistics systems. The supply chain, maintenance, repair and execution solution adds a wide variety of capabilities ranging from shop floor automation to reducing data entry time, and improving visibility of material receipt and shipment performance metrics. Equipment upgrades have also been a large part of the improvements realized through the modernization program. In the past year, Crane Army Ammunition Activity invested nearly $500,000 in advanced manufacturing pieces including an AKS Water Jet and Hurco Vertical Machining Center. These high-tech machines give the Activity enhanced capabilities in metal fabrication and show the Activity’s commitment to providing the best service to Army missions worldwide.

Crane Army Ammunition Activity’s quality control testing facility, originally built in 1945, has also undergone a total transformation. Completed in summer 2016, renovations focused not only on operations needed for missions support but improved working conditions. The $3.3 million in upgrades included redesigning facility layout, lightning protection systems, energy improvements, and office and break room renovations for a quality work environment. The building, once deemed as one of the worst in the entire Army, is now an advanced facility that is safer for equipment and operations and a dramatically better workspace for employees.

Radius Indiana applauds Crane Army Ammunition Activity’s continued investment in its operations, facilities and workforce as it perpetuates its legacy of excellence in serving or nation and providing economic vitality for our region.