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Michigan Manufacturing Insight : March/April 2007

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Member News

Serapid Announces New Product

Serapid, a Sterling Heights-based load movement solutions company, announced its newest product, the LinearBeam, which functions as a rodless linear actuator that can easily handle loads of 200 tons and extend to virtually any stroke length.

Moeller Announces New Products

In an effort to maximize cost savings and production efficiencies, Moeller Manufacturing developed an alternative to conventional retainer dies, the “True Set” Economy Round Ball Lock Retainer. The company says a 30-percent cost savings accrues from the patented one-piece construction combining one screw and one dowel in a single unit.

Moeller, based in Plymouth, also introduced its “True Strip” mechanical stripper for punches, a clean-stripping, compact, interchangeable device that fits directly onto industry standard retainers with one screw.

Detroit Door & Hardware Expands Sales Staff

Watts

Detroit Door & Hardware Company expanded its sales staff in January by promoting Justin Watts from hollow metal project manager to hollow metal relationship sales consultant. Watts is an architecture graduate from Lawrence Technological University and had door project management experience prior to joining Detroit Door. He had been a project manager for one year with Detroit Door prior to his advancement.

Cascade Engineering Honored

Cascade Engineering’s Industrial Solutions-Container Group received the “Rising Star Award” for exemplary workplace safety and health excellence from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) in December.

The Michigan Voluntary Protection Program Rising Star Award is given to companies that have an outstanding safety and health management system in place and demonstrate commitment toward achieving the highest level, the Michigan Star Award.

Miller Canfield Offers Free Services to Qualified Start-up Companies

As former Pfizer professionals develop spin-off businesses, Miller Canfield is offering to legally incorporate and organize — at no cost — qualified start-up ventures seeking to commercialize their emerging technologies and grow their businesses in Michigan. The firm anticipates a significant growth spurt in new business ventures in biotech and other emerging technologies from the announced closing of the Ann Arbor Pfizer location.

Miller Canfield has added two experienced corporate and finance partners, Michael VanHemert and Jeffrey LaBine, to its Ann Arbor office to manage the new work.

Contact VanHemert, LaBine or Paul Dimond at 734.663.2445 if you’re interested in the offer.

Herman Miller Hosts First Meeting of the IoPP Sustainable Packaging Task Group

Fisher

Herman Miller, Inc. hosted the first meeting of the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) Sustainable Packaging Task Group at their renowned Greenhouse facility and offices in Holland on 1/25/07.

Suzanne Fisher, a packaging engineering manager at Herman Miller and executive vice president of finance/operations within IoPP, moderated the day-long event that focused on defining and measuring sustainability and sustainability education.

The next meeting is set for May 15-16 in Rosemont, IL. For information contact Pat Farrey at pfarrey@iopp.org.

Amerisure Announces Promotions

Amerisure Mutual Insurance Company recently announced several promotions: Carole Miller to platinum claim adjuster; Robert Stahl to assistant vice president of field claims; Jack Wilson to assistant vice president of enterprise architecture; and John Hamann to assistant vice president of application services.

Amerisure is one of the nation’s largest regional property and casualty insurance groups and is an MMA partner company.

Dykema Member Elected to World Services Board

Dykema announced that Mark W. Peters, member of the firm’s corporate finance practice area, was elected to serve a four-year term on the board of directors of World Services Group (WSG) at their fifth annual meeting in Lisbon, Portugal. The WSG board consists of 13 directors from five geographic regions around the world.

Visteon Appoints Quigley CFO

Quigley

Visteon Corp. has named William Quigley III, chief accounting officer, as chief financial officer effective March 9. He will continue as chief accounting officer. Quigley joined Visteon in 2005 and is an elected corporate officer and leads the company’s financial planning, analysis and reporting operations.

Granco-Clark Selected by Elixir Industries

Granco-Clark was, once again, selected by Elixir Industries to provide a SST Hot-Jet furnace, this time for the company’s Mishawaka, IN facility. Granco-Clark is a global aluminum extrusion equipment manufacturer and supplier.

Whirlpool Corporation Completes Hoover Sale

Whirlpool Corporation sold the Hoover floor-care business to Techhtronic Industries Co. Ltd. (TTI) in January for approximately $107 million following the expiration of a regulatory review process. Under the terms of the sale, TTI will assume operational control of the Hoover business, including manufacturing operations in North Canton, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; Juarez, Mexico; and all other Hoover locations.

Comcast and MIOSHA form Alliance

Comcast Michigan Region and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) formally signed an alliance 1/25/07 with the purpose of developing safety and training programs for the telecommunications industry and to strengthen safety awareness for Comcast Michigan’s employee and the communities they serve. Alliances enable organization committed to workplace safety and health to collaborate with MIOSHA to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.

OETIKER, Inc. Involved in C3

OETIKER, Inc., in Marlette, is participating in the Clean Corporate Citizen (C3) program, through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. The program allows regulated companies that have demonstrated environmental stewardship and a strong environmental ethic to be recognized as Clean Corporate Citizens.

OETIKER manufactures clamps and rings for a variety of hose and tubing applications for several industrial sectors, as well as a clamp line, the Pneumatic Coupling and Quick Action Coupling SV line. The company has added two new coupling specialist positions to service this line.

Comerica Foundation Gives $6 Million

Throughout Michigan, the Comerica Charitable Foundation gave nearly $6.2 million in charitable gifts during 2006 to institutions that promote economic, social and cultural growth.

Comerica is seeking applications for its winter grant season through March 31. Grants applied for during this period will be announced April 15. Nonprofit organizations wishing to apply for a grant may send a request to the Comerica Charitable Foundation at P.O. Box 75000, Detroit, MI 48275-3390.

EHTC Marks 30th Anniversary; Names New Shareholders

Dennis M. Echelbarger, CPA, opened his practice, Echelbarger, Himebaugh, Tamm & Co., in 1977, marking 2007 as the company’s 30th anniversary.

Two weeks after opening the company, Echelbarger added his first assistant: Diane L. Friar, CPA/ABV, who is now a shareholder. In 1982, Michael T. Tamm, CPA was brought on as the company’s first shareholder. The company now employs 38 people including shareholders Robin M. Stoner, CPA/MST; David G. Echelbarger, CPA; Robert E. Milanowski; and David M. Sunden, CPA.

Herman Miller Lamp Wins CES Award

Herman Miller Leaf Lamp

Herman Miller Inc.’s Leaf personal light, introduced this year, was named a “Best of Innovations Design and Engineering Honoree for Eco-Design” at the 2007 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The Leaf is a light-emitting diode (LED) tabletop light capable of producing both warm mood light and cool work light. The lamp is in the shape of a blade that extends and swivels 180 degrees while supporting a matching upper blade that can be folded close for subtle, ambient light or raised vertically for wall illumination. Its LEDs stay cool to the touch through the use of a patent-pending heat distribution system, achieved through an engineered heat sink and the stamp-formed, sculptural aluminum blade that allows heat to be dispersed and released without the use of a cooling fan. The lamp was developed in collaboration with Yves Behar’s San Francisco-based studio, Fuseproject.

Lear Introduces Soy-based Seating Foam

Southfield-based Lear Corp. announced the development of SoyFoam, a soybean oil-based flexible foam material for automotive interior applications. The material has a lower environmental impact to produce and is partially renewable, as opposed to traditional non-renewable petroleum-based foam. Lear is working with Ford Motor Co. to commercialize SoyFoam applications, with initial work concentrated on the molding of headrest and armrest components. Lear also is collaborating with the United Soybean Board - New Uses Committee, a group of 64 farmers and agricultural industry leaders, Urethane Soy Systems Co., Bayer Corp. and Renosol Corp. on SoyFoam development.

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