Indiana Advanced Manufacturing

When compared to all other states, Indiana ranks in the top 10 in 33 logistics-related categories and in the top five for almost half of those.  Maybe "Will.I.Am" from the Black-Eyed Peas was really singing about us, after all.
 

Indiana Rankings:

• 1st in pass-through interstates
• 1st in shortest distance to median center of U.S. population
• 1st in rail tons of primary metals originated
• 1st in rail tons of primary metals terminated
• 2nd in rail tons of petroleum products terminated
• 2nd in rail tons of waste and scrap material terminated
• 2nd in world's largest FedEx air hubs (Indianapolis)
• 2nd in pass-through truck tonnage
• 3rd in local freight railroads
• 3rd in total freight railroads
• 4th in Class I railroads
• 5th in local rail mileage
• 5th in rail carload
• 5th in truck tonnage
• 6th in rail tons of waste and scrap material originated
• 6th in largest cargo airports (Indianapolis)
• 6th in rail tons of farm products originated
• 6th in regional railroads
• 7th in domestic waterborne shipping
• 7th in rail tons of food products originated
• 7th in number of airports
• 8th in trucking employment
• 8th in rail tons of coal terminated
• 8th in rail tons of coal originated
• 8th in rail mileage
• 8th in rail tons of transportation equip. originated
• 8th in NAFTA exports
• 9th in freight shipped out of state
• 9th in Class I rail mileage
• 9th in rail tons carried
• 9th in freight rail employment
• 10th in rail tons received
• 10th in number of trucking companies
• 11th in rail tons originated
• 11th in rail tons terminated in NAFTA trade dollars
• 12th in transportation-warehousing employment
• 12th in interstate miles
• 15th in total foreign/domestic waterborne shipping

Check out www.Indianalogistics.com for more details about Indiana transportation logistics.

LEARN MORE ABOUT LOGISTICS IN CENTRAL INDIANA

For anyone who travels frequently, you know there is a fair amount of strategizing when it comes to packing a suitcase. You don't want to pack too much, but you don't want to be left without your essentials. I think we all have our little traveling essentials, right? For me, especially when I travel to Europe, it is my comfy little black flats that go with any suit or outfit. I'm always running to my next appointment or trying to catch a train or a plane. Believe me, it is absolutely essential to have a great pair of shoes. I also have this great suit jacket that goes with anything - dress slacks, jeans - it's very versatile.

As you can probably tell by now, I take packing very seriously. Packing smart and thinking ahead means you're prepared (even for the unexpected). In fact, when I think about it, I have really been packing for this trip since mid-June (or really since last fall). Okay, so now you're really thinking I'm high maintenance! No, what I'm referring to is all of the planning and strategizing that has taken place up until now - all of the activities that go on BEFORE I pack my suitcase.

So I thought my first blog about this trip would be dedicated to the essentials. It is also a tiny peek into the process that we go through in preparing (or packing for) a business development mission.

1.)  Let your strengths be your guide.

Our primary strengths include our location, cost of doing business and workforce (among other strengths). Workforce is probably the most important. I always tell people that in Indiana, we make things and we make them well. Whether it's pharmaceuticals, vehicle engines or batteries, we have the manufacturing talent here that enables companies to be extremely competitive in the marketplace. So, we started with our strengths. Southern Germany is known around the world for its manufacturing base. The two German States of Baden-Wurttemberg and Bavaria (which basically make up all of southern Germany) are where Germany's major manufacturers are located -- including Daimler Benz, BSH Bosch, Siemens, BMW and EADS. High-tech companies account for nearly 60 percent of manufacturing employment in Bavaria alone. Though there are many large, global companies in this region, there are also a lot of small to mediums sized manufacturers that have not yet made investments in the U.S., or they may have a small sales presence only. These are the companies we want to engage.

2.)  Do your homework.

After evaluating our strengths and applying that value chain to a specific region, I then turn to our research staff. Our research department at Indy Partnership has several databases they subscribe to that track and compile data on companies around the globe. Their sources for a company's revenue growth, employment, recent investments and other important details coupled with their data analysis help me to develop a quality prospect list.

3.)  Leverage all resources and partners assets.

Partners are critical. Our targets and search criteria are less effective if we don't seek input and cooperation from other partners engaged in the similar activities with the similar goals. When working in Germany (or anywhere else outside of the U.S.), it is important to engage our state of Indiana partners with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Through their international office in Berlin, Germany, IEDC officials help us with outreach and securing meetings abroad. They also give us important, on-the-ground feedback about our targets. In addition to our resources at IEDC, we reach out to the private sector (our investors, stakeholders, existing industry base) and our world renowned universities who are also engaged with global players and global initiatives.

4.)  Bring something valuable to the table.

At the Indy Partnership, we like to pride ourselves on providing not just good information, but information customized to our customers and their needs.  This requires us to know a lot about our customers before we even walk into meetings. It requires us to find the messages and information that are specific and will be most important and compelling to our target clients. It also requires us to be good listeners and follow up in a timely fashion.

Any business development trip, whether it be domestic or abroad takes a lot of preparation and a lot of hard work. It is a continual process that you have to keep building upon.

European Trade Mission Essentials:
 

• Comfy black flats - $40;
• Stylish, Versatile Suit Jacket - $120;
• Flying to Germany with the peace of mind that you're prepared and ready to meet your customers - Priceless

So at 8:00 o'clock this morning, the delegation boarded the bus and began the three-hour drive from Shanghai to Hangzhou. Governor Daniels called shotgun; yes, sometimes it's good to be governor. I sat next to Mayor Wayne Seybold of Marion; yes, sometimes it's good to be mayor. Anyway, I had a great conversation with the Mayor about the innovative things they're doing in his community to spur economic growth. This is his third trip to China in the past 9 months, and each time, he's following up with companies and contacts to make the case for investing in Marion. It sounds like his community has some great opportunities as a result of his hard work, and we all can benefit from Mayor Seybold's example here: be strategic, committed, and focused on the long-term. (In case you're wondering, this is an unpaid, unsolicited commercial for Mayor Seybold; I just think it's important to give credit to creative public leaders).

After sitting in Shanghai rush hour traffic for about an hour (trust me, after sitting in this stuff for two days, the traffic on I-69/I-465 each morning should be embarrassed to call itself congestion), we hit clear sailing for our next destination: Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang province.

Our tour guide, a native Shanghainese, cracked us up when she referred to Hangzhou, with no sense of irony, as a small bedroom suburb of Shanghai. Small, as in only 6 million+ people living there (compared to Shanghai's 20+ million residents). 

For all of its modern ways -- nice charter bus, new highways -- China can still surprise you with a throwback to days gone by. We stopped at a rest stop after a couple of hours for a coffee and restroom break, and just as we were about to hop off the bus to grab a snack, the tour guide reminded the women to take their own toilet paper with them. Yeah, that's right, it's BYOTP in most public toilets in China. (And now you know why pocket size Kleenexes were on the suggested packing list for the trip).

So on one hand, you have to pack your own paper for a public restroom that looked like it was channeling the 1950's. But a mere 100 meters away, running parallel to the interstate, work crews were building huge concrete pilings and supports for a high-speed rail track that will connect Shanghai and Hangzhou. So here's the question that interests me: do you think they'll have toilet paper in the bathrooms of the 265-mph bullet trains that will run on those new tracks? Who knows; maybe it's just easier to hold it when you're going that fast.

I simply can't describe all the construction activity we saw on the drive into Hangzhou. At one place, at least 20 sky cranes were lined up in a row, lifting midrise office or apartment buildings of 10-20 stories each out of the ground.

We arrived at the Hangzhou Shangri-La with just enough time to grab a bite for lunch before heading over to a special event on the hotel's grounds: the public launch of Hangzhou hybrid transit buses powered by Cummins engines.

The Hangzhou Transit Company has nearly 1,400 buses -- a third of its fleet -- that are powered by Cummins diesel engines. Today the company launched 50 new buses that employ hybrid technologies along side the diesel engine, that will permit fuel savings of 20% or more. Check out the Governor's website for more coverage of this event, if you're interested.

What's the Indiana connection, other than a great Indiana company doing good things on the other side of the globe? Cummins is a key partner in the "Hoosier Heavy Hybrid" initiative, working with Delphi, Duke Energy and Allison Transmission, among others, to create heavy and medium weight hybrids. You can check out a nifty little video on the program on the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership's website. Part of my focus on this trip has been talking about that initiative and many others, including a meeting tomorrow with a Chinese auto manufacturer to talk about electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

One last note: today was a very lucky day in China. The number 9 is considered to be a lucky number, so the date of 9/9/09 (or 09/9/9, as the Chinese might write it -- year, date, month) will only be surpassed in 90 years as the luckiest date on the calendar. That made it a good day to get married in China. As far as I know, none of our delegation participated in that local custom today. 

• Experienced several new and interesting food dishes, some of which I can't describe more specifically than animal, vegetable or mineral.
   
• Learned that you apparently cannot get Chinese food in China: sweet and sour chicken has not been served at any meal.  I wonder if these banquets have a takeout menu . . . .
   
• Discovered that the ritual of offering formal toasts can get you pretty toasted if you aren't careful -- and that was just at lunch.

• Met incredibly interesting people at the Cummins supplier conference, the Zhejiang Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, and the Hoosier Club reception.  Significant follow up opportunities on numerous deals.
   
• Spent a lot of time driving slowly through crowded Shanghai streets, watching as our bus driver defied the laws of physics to get the bus into places it should not have fit.
   
• Marveled at the growing Shanghai skyline and the Chinese's seeming fascination with building the tallest building in the world. 

An exceptional editorial appeared in the Indianapolis Star newspaper this morning about clean technology and advanced manufacturing in Indiana. Paul Mitchell, president and CEO of Energy Systems Network (an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership), offers an insider's perspective on why Indiana is making so much progress in the clean-tech energy space.

Jump-start for green vehicles

President Barack Obama this month traveled to Northern Indiana to announce $2.4 billion in federal stimulus funds aimed at accelerating the U.S. green vehicle industry -- grants to companies and institutions working on advanced batteries and other components that will make it possible to put more hybrid and plug-in electric cars and trucks on our highways.

The president brought the media spotlight to Wakarusa, but he also came with $416 million in grants to Hoosier companies and universities, making Indiana the second-largest recipient of funding for advanced vehicles, behind only Michigan.

There's always criticism about how federal largess is distributed, and this was no exception: Many said that too much funding went to companies that are large and traditional, not innovative enough, already being bailed out by government. Some of this criticism is certainly valid. But I'd argue that Indiana is taking an approach that is driven by collaboration and innovation, leading to new opportunities that will be accelerated by -- but not dependent on -- federal support.

Here's an example: Six months ago three of Indiana's leading automotive companies -- Delphi, Allison Transmission, and Cummins -- announced an effort to work together to develop and bring to market a suite of technologies for light and heavy trucks. (Trucks are by far the biggest consumers of oil and source of emissions; it's estimated that one hybrid bus can save as much fuel and emissions as 40 hybrid cars.)

Recognizing that no one company has the solution to a major energy challenge like commercializing green trucks, the firms agreed to form the Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Partnership under the auspices of the new Energy Systems Network initiative. Over time this loose partnership expanded to firms including Remy and EnerDel, creating a network of companies with a clear vision and roadmap to remain, or in some cases become, leaders in green cars and trucks.

So when the federal government began investing billions in the next generation of automotive technologies, the Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Partners stood ready to respond. And they won big, with some $320 million among them (the largest share going to newcomer EnerDel, which received $118 million).

Also important is the way these Indiana companies secured their share of federal dollars. In addition to working collaboratively, they also put their own skin in the game (a rarity these days) to cover the nearly 1-to-1 match requirement, making the total win closer to $1 billion in capital invested in engineering and manufacturing. In my mind, this separates Indiana from Michigan, where the money flowed primarily to automakers already being propped up by the federal government or foreign firms being enticed by state tax credits that covered their match with more taxpayer dollars.

Lastly, Indiana's federal payday, while welcomed, is really just a down payment. Building cars and trucks is an expensive business, especially when you add the research and development investment necessary to cut oil use and emissions in half, or completely electrify the vehicles. The $1 billion being invested in Indiana is just the tip of the iceberg. And the follow-on investment isn't just federal money, although there are a number of Indiana firms (including Bright Automotive) that deserve to be on the list of winners being selected by Washington.

Far more important than the federal investment is the private investment that has been waiting on the sidelines for the tsunami of government energy dollars to subside so they can lay their bets likely doubling up on Uncle Sam in many cases. The clean technology sector saw more than $7.7 billion in venture capital investment in 2008. With this round of federal grants in place, this flow of private dollars should resume -- and smart money will find its way to the opportunities fostered by new partnerships here at the Crossroads of America.

In short, it's an exciting time to be involved in the energy and clean technologies sectors in Indiana. When you start with strong call to action from the state and a group of corporate and institutional leaders with a willingness to collaborate, the opportunities for growth and job creation are tremendous. Our recent federal windfall confirms our position as a center of innovation in green vehicles. Now it's up to us to capitalize on Indiana's opportunities across the energy eco-system -- in wind power, smart grid, biofuels, distributed power generation and more -- and stay on the cutting edge of the coming clean tech boom.

Bright Ideas

Bright Automotive is another company trying to get a foothold. Launched by people at the Rocky Mountain Institute, idealistic home to well-known energy guru Amory Lovins, Bright Automotive hopes to market a hybrid-electric van that would get six to eight times the mileage current fleet vans get.

It wants to start production in 2012 and sell 50,000 vans in 2013. Using other companies' components and its own design, Bright says it can make vans that would travel about 30 miles on a battery and as much as 400 miles on a charge and a tank of fuel.

Based in Anderson, Ind., it has collected about $20 million in support from companies like Google, Alcoa and Duke Energy. "We have hundreds of trucks," said Duke Energy spokesman Tom Williams. "We could buy as many as 200 off the bat."

But Bright Automotive, which currently employs more than 30 people, needs much more and is seeking about $450 million in loans from the Energy Department authorized by the 2007 energy bill. If the money comes through, Bright wants to ramp up to a thousand people and will employ many more at supplier companies.

Many of Bright's engineers and executives are bruised veterans of the electric car business. Bright chief executive John E. Waters was the battery pack engineer for GM's EV1, an electric vehicle briefly produced in the 1990s that inspired a loyal band of followers but was eliminated by the company. Waters is proud of the vehicle and said "my phone never rang from one customer complaining about the range or performance of the battery." The disappointment at EV1's cancellation, he said, still stings. "Those of us who lived through that are cautious about experiencing that again."

Since leaving GM, Waters has worked on lithium ion battery technology at auto parts maker Delphi and EnerDel. He developed the lithium ion battery system used in the Segway Human Transporter.

Waters says that Bright's small size is an advantage, not a handicap. He says most major auto companies have relatively small teams of 200 or so people designing cars with parts from disparate suppliers.

In Bright's case, its car's interior will be made by Johnson Controls from recyclable materials. Alcoa will provide aluminum for the rust-free exterior. Door handles and brakes will come from the major manufacturers. Bosch will provide the rear axle. Several companies are hoping to make the batteries.

Keller says Bright's business model has a better chance of success because it is planning to sell to big companies with big fleets, most of them leased. For those companies, buying an electric van is a matter of dollars and cents. And they are easier to service.

Waters adds that once a car battery needs replacing, it can still be used by utilities for the storage of renewable electricity, thus giving the used batteries some value.

"This is a mission-based enterprise that makes environmental sense as well as economic sense," Waters said.

President Obama visited Indiana on August 5, to announce $2.4 billion in high-tech federal grants. It turns out that $400 million is going to six different Indiana companies, the second-largest amount doled out among 25 states. Three of these grant recipients are located in the Indianapolis Region.

There are plenty of high-tech stories to tell relating to clean-technology, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing operations in the 10-county Indianapolis Region, which is the focus of the grants. And while each individual story is newsworthy, it’s “the sum of the parts” that communicate a compelling message to the rest of the nation and the world.

That message is that Indiana has a great deal of activity going on in major growth industries – namely hybrid-electric cars, lithium-ion batteries, and other components for electric cars and “heavy hybrid” work vehicles.

I spoke with Indy Partnership President and CEO Ron Gifford about the grants this morning and he said it’s fitting that President Obama traveled to Indiana for the announcement because “we’re for real.” Not that other regions and other states don’t have quality projects underway, but few have the advantages that we’re experiencing in the Indianapolis Region.

For example, the electric car was invented in the Indianapolis Region and several of the original GM engineers who worked on the EV1 are now leading hybrid-electric car companies and suppliers making headlines here. The region’s strengths in manufacturing and advanced manufacturing are already nationally recognized as well as our strong competitive position in transportation distribution and logistics. Together with leading research universities and other post-secondary institutions (six of which just received clean-technology stimulus grants of their own) and a trained, available advanced-manufacturing workforce, the Indianapolis Region is “for real.”

In a news story released today by our friends at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, a Portland, Ind. company called Sertech Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. was recently awarded a $77,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to further develop its proprietary solar technology.

From the story: "Under development by Sertech Owner Wayne Blevins for nearly five years, the company's Solar Thermal Energy Storage Vessel is similar in size to a residential water heater and contains a proprietary mix of environmentally friendly chemicals that can more efficiently store the sun's heat. Sertech is using the grant to fund a feasibility study with Ball State University."

While Portland, Ind. is located just outside of the 10-county Indianapolis Region, this story is yet another example of Indiana innovation and leadership in the clean-technology, renewable energy space. There are currently more than 100 Central Indiana companies working with or developing new products and technologies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Both Bright Automotive with its 100 miles-per-gallon fleet vehicle, and EnerDel with its comprehensive hybrid-electric battery production have been making national headlines for a while now. But lesser known clean-tech energy projects are underway here, too.

Projects such as the collaboration between Cummins, Allison Transmission and Delphi called Hoosier Heavy Hybrid, which seeks to bring more cost effective light, medium and heavy duty hybrid trucks to market. And Project Plug-IN, a collaboration among auto, technology and utility companies, including Duke Energy and Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL). The project will build the infrastructure to support plug-in vehicles, such as "smart grid" technology that would allow Indianapolis metro commuters to plug-in and recharge their vehicles at home and in downtown parking garages.

And there are many, many more projects underway.

In fact, there is so much activity in Indiana in the clean-tech energy space and so much potential for more activity, that Indy Partnership President and CEO Ron Gifford recently made a bold statement in an address to Indy Partnership investors.

"No other region in the U.S. is better positioned to become the manufacturing epicenter for clean-tech energy compared to the Indianapolis Region," Gifford said. "In addition to our high renewable energy rankings, we offer the most productive manufacturing workforce and the best business climate in the Midwest. When coupled with our central location, our logistics infrastructure, and experienced workforce, it's hard to imagine anyone else competing on this level."

RECENT RANKINGS:

• #1 Advanced Manufacturing Technology
  The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation ranks Indiana as the top state in the U.S. in advance manufacturing technology.
   
• #1 Manufacturing Productivity
  The Census of Manufacturers determined that Indiana has the most productive manufacturing workforce in the Midwest.
   
• #1 Wind Energy Growth State
  The American Wind Energy Association ranked Indiana the fastest-growing wind energy state in the country in 2008 and continuing today.
   
• #2 Renewable Components Manufacturing
  The Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) recently identified Indiana as the 2nd best state for jobs and investment in renewable energy when normalized for population. 
   
• Twice the National Average
  Manufacturing employment makes up 13% of the Indianapolis Region's workforce, which is more than twice the national average.
   
• High Manufacturing Facility Concentration
  The Indianapolis Region has more than 375 manufacturing facilities with greater than 50 employees.

--A new, 1.2 million-square-foot, 40-gate terminal building featuring outstanding architecture, the ability to accept international arrivals, enhanced retail and dining opportunities and the capacity to handle growth from the airport’s current 8.2 million annual passengers.

--A new, five-story parking garage that can accommodate 5,900 cars and 1,200 rental cars.

--More than 17,000 parking spaces, including the garage and surface lots.

--Direct access from Interstate 70 just west of Interstate 465.

--The FedEx expansion will increase package processing capacity more than 30 percent, from 75,000 packages per hour to 99,000 packages per hour, at the second-largest domestic FedEx Express hub behind Memphis.

--The additional capacity is needed to meet forecast long-term package-volume growth, particularly for international shipments. FedEx operates international flights from Indianapolis to Europe, Asia and Canada.

--The expansion includes a 400,000 square foot expansion to the hub's existing sort facility and construction of a 175,000 square foot secondary sort building.

--Two maintenance buildings — including a 40,000 square-foot facility for aircraft maintenance and an 8,000 square-foot facility for ground support equipment — will push total hub growth by more than 600,000 square feet.

From an economic development perspective, the new Indianapolis International Airport is obviously of great benefit to the Indianapolis Region and its business clusters such as advanced manufacturing and transportation logistics. But its also beneficial to the other business clusters, such as life sciences, technology and motorsports because of the expansion of the FedEx hub (which is already the second largest in the world) and the improved ease of both commercial transport and consumer travel.

A few photos of the new Indianapolis International Airport provided by Rob Banayote of Banayote Photography (www.banayote.com):


















































Visit http://www.indianapolisairport.com/ to learn more.

Inaugural Real Estate Trends in Indiana Report to be released at "Emerging Trends in Real Estate" event on Nov. 18

The ups and downs and areas of opportunity within the real estate industry have great impact on economic development here in the 10-county Indianapolis Region and across the nation. As critical as superb transportation, distribution and logistics infrastructure as well as world-class workforces are, real estate issues can make or break a business relocation or expansion project.

"It is the combination of our assets that gives the Indianapolis Region its competitive advantage over the coasts and neighboring states,” said Ron Gifford, president and CEO of the Indy Partnership. “Having better access to rail service and interstates wouldn’t do us much good if our real estate rental rates were three or four times higher like they are in California and Florida, for example.

“That’s why we are supporting the Urban Land Institute Indiana as a sponsor of its upcoming ‘Emerging Trends in Real Estate’ event and why we are particularly eager to see its Real Estate Trends in Indiana Report become a successful annual resource.”

According to Area Development magazine’s 2007 Annual Corporate Survey, real estate issues were said to be “important” and “very important” by between 79 percent and 89 percent of all respondents when ranking their expansion and relocation priorities. These issues range from availability of buildings and land, construction costs, “fast-track” permitting, energy considerations and residential housing availability and costs. In fact, real estate issues account for three of the top five site selection factors tracked by the survey.

According to Matt Waldo, director of research for the Indy Partnership, the Indianapolis metropolitan area ranks as the “second most affordable” among 46 major metro areas for industrial warehouse rental rates (based on 2008 Mid-Year Market Report data from Cushman&Wakefield) and is highly competitive in Class A and Class B office space.

“The Indy Partnership was directly involved in the decision making process for seven of the 10 largest real estate lease transactions in Indianapolis from the middle of 2007 through the middle of 2008, and I can tell you with the highest degree of certainty that understanding the real estate trends in the Indianapolis Region as they relate to the nation was critical to making the argument to create jobs and invest here. The Urban Land Institute Indiana’s report will enhance our ability to continue this track record of success for our region,” Waldo said.

Learn more about the "Emerging Trends in Real Estate" event .

Cities of Indianapolis and Bloomington lead employment growth with 0.8% and 1.1% respectively in new jobs from September 2007 through September 2008.

While the 10-county Indianapolis Region is not exempt from some of the negative effects of economic woes that our nation is facing, there are positive indicators that show Central Indiana faring better than our neighbors and better than the nation as a whole.

According to data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and reported by the Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research, two of the largest cities in the Indianapolis Region--Indianapolis and Bloomington--experienced 0.8% and 1.1% growth respectively in new jobs from September 2007 through September 2008. Both cities are also doing significantly better than the national average in unemployment.

"The positive news is that these two cities had a net jobs gain while many cities across the nation experienced significant losses," said Matt Waldo, director of research for the Indy Partnership. "It is one of several indicators that supports and validates the efforts of the Indy Partnership, its local economic development organization partners, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and other contributors."

To view the full Indiana Business Bulletin, follow the link:
http://www.bsu.edu/mcobwin/ibb/state/indiana/msa_l.htm

The Indiana Business Bulletin is produced and distributed by the Center for Business and Economic Research in the Miller College of Business at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. It may be reproduced in whole or in part provided proper source attribution is given.

For more information on subscribing, canceling, or customizing the Indiana Business Bulletin to suit your needs, please contact CBER by phone at 765-285-5926.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 28, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS -- Faculty members of the Indiana University School of Medicine have been awarded research grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure. John Foley, David Gilley and Hiromi Tanaka are among recipients of an unprecedented $100 million in grants Komen awarded to American and international scientists.

Foley, assistant professor in the IU School of Medicine's Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology and a researcher with the IU Simon Cancer Center, received a $463,499 grant for his research in breast cancer cell resistance to drugs and how that may lead the cancer to develop elsewhere.

Komen presented Gilley, assistant professor in the IU School of Medicine's Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics and a researcher with the IU Simon Cancer Center, with a $600,000 grant to study breast tumor formation in cancer stem-like cells.

Hiromi Tanaka,of the IU School of Medicine's Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, was awarded a $450,000 grant for her research focusing on a simple blood test to identify genetic marker alterations for very early detection of breast cancer.

"Our researchers continue to contribute to national efforts to reduce the burden of breast cancer," said Dr. Stephen Williams, the director of the IU Simon Cancer Center and HH Gregg Professor of Oncology with the IU School of Medicine. "They are making discoveries in their laboratories, and in turn, are helping to make real differences in the care of patients here and elsewhere."

Komen's pledge represents the largest commitment to breast cancer research funding by a single non-profit organization and will be distributed among 81 universities and hospitals in 27 states and five countries. The grants will be channeled toward research efforts offering the highest likelihood of producing results for patients during the next decade.

The Indianapolis Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure played an integral role in raising funds to support the research initiatives. Through the local Race for the Cure and other fundraising events, the Indianapolis Affiliate contributed more than $800,000 toward the national research pledge.

"The Indianapolis Affiliate provides opportunities for everyone to help make a significant difference in the fight against breast cancer," said Dana Curish, executive director of the Indianapolis Affiliate. "Everyone who supports our work by volunteering or participating in an event like the Komen Indianapolis Race for the Cure can feel good about meeting breast health needs within the community we serve while helping to move Susan G. Komen for the Cure closer to our mission of a world without breast cancer."

For more information, visit the IU News Room.

Source: Indiana University

The Indianapolis Region, a 10-county economic development area in Central Indiana which includes Bloomington, Ind., provides incredible value to its residents. A study released last week by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) shows that the quarterly composite cost of living index scores for the Indianapolis MSA and the City of Bloomington are just 90.7% and 91.5% of the national average, respectively.  The composite index score incorporates metrics for housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, healthcare and miscellaneous services. 

"These data are continued positive news for companies considering relocating or expanding in the Indianapolis Region," said Matt Waldo, director of research for the Indy Partnership. "The Indianapolis economic development region offers numerous advantages for advanced manufacturing and logistics, life sciences, technology and motorsports industries among others, and the ability to extend a low cost of living to employees is critical."

The scores for each of the cost categories for Indianapolis and Bloomington, may be found on The Indy Partnership web site at

http://www.iredp.com/reportInterface/iw_p1.aspx?fsheet=qol&county=indianapolis%20region

InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

Indiana Secretary of Commerce Nate Feltman talks about some of the state's big wins in 2007 and what helped make them happen.

For the second consecutive year, Indiana leads the nation in attracting new jobs through international investment, according to a report from IBM Global Business Services. The report puts Indiana number one per capita for international job attraction and number two overall for attracting foreign production jobs in 2007.

INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 22, 2008) – Indiana leads the nation in attracting new jobs through foreign investment for the second consecutive year, according to the latest annual Global Location Trends report released today by IBM Global Business Services.

Released during an annual meeting of the International Economic Development Council in Atlanta, the report lists the Hoosier state as number one per capita for job attraction from international investment and number two overall for the attraction of production jobs from international companies.

"Governor Daniels's early decision to revamp our state's economic development efforts continues to pay dividends for Hoosiers," said Nathan Feltman, secretary of commerce and chief executive of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. "The Governor's efforts to in-source jobs from around the world to Indiana compliment our efforts to retain and grow home-grown Indiana companies around our state."

The report, which registered more than 10,000 foreign investment project announcements made in 2007 across the world, includes top international investments in Indiana made in 2007 such as FoxConn, TS Tech, SMC Corporation, ArcelorMittal and others. Since 2005, international companies have invested more than $8 billion into their Indiana operations, creating more than 15,800 new jobs.

“Overall, global investment trends in 2007 show that companies are increasingly widening their investments to include more markets around the world in their efforts to access new markets, talent pools, or improved efficiency," said Roel Spee, global leader for IBM-Plant Location International. "But our study shows that the U.S. continues to be a top performer for creating jobs through new inward investments by multinational companies, and Indiana confirms its ranking among the leading states in several categories."

The latest IBM study is the latest in a series of national accolades the state has scored in economic development. Ernst&Young found the Hoosier state to be number one in winning new competitive job-creating investments from all sources when measured on a per capita basis in both 2006 and 2007.

The news of Indiana’s award-winning efforts to attract investment comes as the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is poised for a fourth consecutive year of record-breaking commitments for new jobs and investment. Since January, 130 businesses have committed to create 16,120 new jobs and invest more than $3.9 billion in their Indiana operations.

Following the governor’s creation of the agency in 2005, the state has logged three years of record-level attraction of new job-creating investment. Cumulatively since its inception, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation has worked with more than 600 companies that have committed to create more than 75,000 new jobs and invest more than $18 billion in their Indiana operations. Nearly two-thirds of all projects completed involve expansions of existing Indiana businesses.

About IEDC
Created by Governor Mitch Daniels in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Daniels. Indiana Secretary of Commerce Nathan Feltman serves as the chief executive officer of the IEDC. Since Daniels created the IEDC, the state has posted three consecutive years of record-breaking commitments for new jobs. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

Source: Indiana Economic Development Corporation

By: Nathan Feltman - Secretary of Commerce and President, Indiana Economic Development Corporation

as seen on Inside Indiana Business



Intellectual capital, public support, academic partnerships, workforce excellence, and business and industry collaborations are the driving Indiana's life sciences industry. As a center of innovation in the life sciences, pharmaceutical and medical device industries for more than a century, the Hoosier state is home to the second-highest concentration of biopharmaceutical jobs in the nation and the fifth largest pharmaceutical industry in the country.

Indiana's life sciences growth continues to accelerate. Witness the recent doubling of work force in nearby clinical laboratories, like AIT Labs and DCL Laboratories, along with the doubling in size of contract biotech manufacturer Cook Pharmica in Bloomington. Consider the thousands of new life sciences jobs that are coming to Indiana after Gov. Mitch Daniels' direction to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to aggressively seek new job-creating investment in the life sciences to further strengthen and diversify the Hoosier economy. Those efforts have resulted in thousands of new job commitments from companies such as Medco (1,300 new jobs), Arcadia (300 new jobs), Precision Rx (1,200 new jobs) and Beckman Coulter (275 new jobs).

And while the large global companies capture the headlines, the state and BioCrossroads are ensuring the big life sciences companies of tomorrow are incubated and grown in Indiana with the help of seed capital from the state's 21st Century Research and Technology Fund along with BioCrossroads' Seed Fund. Together, these funds have provided seed capital for promising companies like Schwartz BioMedical, Kylin Therapeutics, QuadraSpec and ImmuneWorks, keeping these companies, their technologies and the promise of new high-wage jobs here.

By any measure, when it comes to life sciences and the growth of this highly desirable sector of high-skill, high-value, high-promise jobs and great companies, Indiana is winning. This is competition at its most intense, and we're playing to win.

To deliver that success we must continue to focus on strengthening the ties between innovations developed at our colleges and universities and businesses who can transform those innovations into life-changing and life-saving products and services. We must also ensure that we continue to offer the low-cost, pro-business environment – including low utility costs, workers' compensation and unemployment insurance rates – that has become a hallmark of the Hoosier state.

As our economy faces new challenges with increasing gas prices and tightening credit markets, we must continue steadfast in our effort to strengthen and diversify Indiana's economy in part by building upon our great successes in the life sciences. The high-skilled, high-wage jobs of this industry hold great promise for our state, and together I know we can realize the opportunity that has yet to fully unfold for Hoosiers in this exciting industry.

Nathan Feltman is Indiana Secretary of Commerce&President of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

EnerDel Batteries will Power Hybrid, Electric Cars:

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 21, 2008) - Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives from lithium-ion battery developer EnerDel today to announce plans to locate the company's new global manufacturing and development operations here, a move that is expected to create more than 850 new jobs across the state through 2012.

The developer of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid, plug-in electric and electric vehicles will expand its Indianapolis research and cell production center, build and equip a battery pack assembly center in nearby Noblesville, and locate a full-scale manufacturing operation at a still to be selected location in the Hoosier state.

"Eight hundred fifty jobs of any kind is great news. When those jobs are in a technology of tomorrow, like electric cars, it offers the prospect of even bigger news to follow. Indiana has what it takes to lead this automotive revolution and today is step one," said Daniels.

Part of Ener1, Inc., (AMEX: HEV), EnerDel currently operates a 92-person production facility on the northeast side of Indianapolis and plans to begin hiring additional engineers, production associates and administrative staff later this year.

EnerDel, founded in 2004, develops lithium-ion batteries for automotive manufacturers that are lighter, occupy less space, provide more power and have a longer life than the nickel metal hydride batteries found in today's hybrid vehicles.

"Indiana is the heart of America's manufacturing might, and a linchpin in the automotive industry. There is no better place to invest in the clean, green, energy efficient technology we need to power today's global economy," said Ulrik Grape, president and chief executive officer of EnerDel. "Indiana's educated, experienced workforce is second to none, and the enthusiastic commitment we have received from Governor Daniels and other leaders is absolutely unparalleled. We couldn't be happier to call this our home."

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered EnerDel up to $7.125 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $58,000 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. The cities of Indianapolis and Noblesville will consider property tax abatement at the request of the Indy Partnership. The company will also seek local incentive offers from Indiana communities for the third manufacturing location.

"There is no doubt that EnerDel is a leader in advanced manufacturing, and we are fortunate that their new global manufacturing and development operations will be located here in Marion County," said Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard. "They are not only bringing great jobs and investment to our county, but they are serving as a sign that Marion County is a great home for the future of manufacturing."

"We are honored and excited that a growing and innovative company like EnerDel has chosen to expand its operations to the city of Noblesville," said Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear. "What a fine testament to the talented, hard-working people of this city and the business-friendly environment our economic development team has worked so hard to create. We look forward to working with EnerDel and to potential future development with them," said Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear.

"The lithium-ion battery will revolutionize the hybrid and electric car industry and will make it a reality for the mass market in the very near term," Grape said. "EnerDel has a unique lithium-ion chemistry and advanced battery system that provides the safest and most economical energy solution for automotive applications."

EnerDel is presently the only manufacturer producing lithium-ion batteries in the U.S. for the automotive market. The company recently received the prestigious R&D 100 award for excellence in its technology and uniquely innovative design. The award is shared by EnerDel and its partners at the Argonne National Laboratory.

EnerDel is a participant in U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium, a collaborative research effort between the U.S. Department of Energy, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors, aimed at developing hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle batteries that will enable mass production for electric drive vehicles.