News and Events

On Thursday, January 26, 2012, Jeff Borling represented the region at the 2012 Minnesota Green Chemistry Conference, delivering a presentation highlighting the many opportunities available in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin for chemical and fuel companies utilizing renewable wood resources to produce value-added goods. Borling noted the closure of the three Ainsworth wallboard factories in northern Minnesota as a clear opportunity for these growing companies, both in the advantage of leveraging existing assets at the plant sites themselves, and in the advantage of recapturing the un- or under-utilized timber resources no longer being harvested for these production facilities. 

An overview of the progress made by APEX and the Itasca Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) in redeveloping one of these plants as the Itasca Eco Industrial Park was also provided, with high-level information regarding the integrated development concept IEDC and APEX are leveraging to promote the growth of synergistic wood products companies at this location. As talks progress with a potential anchor tenant at the site, this site could offer significant competitive advantages to co-located companies seeking to produce green chemicals and other value-added goods from wood, or from the byproducts generated by the anchor tenant. 

Aditional speakers at the conference included representatives from Dow Chemical Company, SC Johnson, Ecolab, Segetis, Reluceo, the Minnesota Dept. of Employment & Economic Development (DEED), and the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota, among others.  These and many other well known companies are in the process of developing and/or bringing to market exciting new products that could very well be made from wood feedstocks in the near future. 

These products include plastics, reinforced composites, pigments and inks, paint additives, adhesives - even compostable baby diapers - all of which would be a welcome addition in helping to diversify the forest products industries of Minnesota and Wisconsin and all of which would be welcome additions as manufacturing processes housed at the Itasca Eco Industrial Park.

To learn more about Minnesota's Green Chemistry activities or the opportunities available for your business at the Itasca Eco Industrial Park, please contact Jeff Borling: 218-326-9411 x.23

On January 24, 2012, members of the APEX staff and leadership attended the 2012 Legislative Priorities dinner hosted by the Minnesota State Chamber of Commerce. As in year's past, this high profile event attracted a sellout crowd of over 1,500 business leaders, elected officials, association representatives and local chambers of commerce. APEX attended as guests of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to an overview of the State Chamber's policy agenda on key business issues, the program featured a keynote address from Governor Mark Dayton, who presented his Administration's priorities for the upcoming year.  Other members of the legislative leadership provided their views on the top priorities for the upcoming session, with comments regarding the need to continue efforts to streamline the permitting process and a shared desire to put together a deal to build a new stadium for the Vikings.

For a complete overview of the Minnesota State Chamber's key priorities for 2012, please visit:

http://www.mnchamber.com/priorities/

On January 19, 2012, APEX hosted a reception at the Kitchi Gammi Club for several regional businesses interested in learning more about APEX and the benefits of membership.  Rob West, APEX President & CEO, outlined the organization's mission, vision and key objectives in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, making the business case for becoming an APEX member.  Representatives from seven businesses in a diverse set of industries attended the reception, along with several members of the APEX Executive Committee and staff. 

One of these companies was Island Investment, Inc., which manages and develops many properties throughout the region, including the Canal Park Lodge in Duluth, the Holiday Inn Express in Mt. Iron, and Canal Park Brewing Company, currently being built on the lake front in Canal Park.  Talks have continued with Company representatives since January and Island Investment is planning to join APEX in the near future.

We look forward to welcoming Island Investment, Inc. and others to join our list of new members for 2012, which includes Involta, Citon Computer Corporation, C.W. Technologies, Granite Equity Partners, and Itasca Economic Development Corporation.  We thank these and all our members for supporting our efforts to help create jobs and increase investment activity in our region.

If you would like more information about an APEX membership for your business, please contact Sandy Johnson: (218) 740-3667

Over the past several weeks, Per Carlsson, owner of ABioNova, a Swedish biomass boiler manufacturer, has been on site at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Station in Finland, Minnesota, overseeing the installation of his BioMax Commercial Boiler system, which were introduced into the U.S. market in early 2010. APEX has worked together with the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota to assist ABioNova in all aspects of its U.S. expansion strategy, from identifying potential customers and market opportunities to establishing contract agreements with local companies capable of providing manufacturing support, sales and distribution strategies, installation and service agreements, and more. 

In partnership with Italian designer D’Alessandro Thermomeccanica Company of Miglianico, Italy, ABioNova has developed a biomass boiler system that ranges in size from 440,000 to 6,800,000 btu/hour output capacity.  These unique systems use the latest in computer-controlled technology to maintain the highest possible efficiency, no matter what type of biomass fuel is burned - woodchips, wood pellets, etc. To bring these systems to the U.S. market, ABioNova brought on WoodMaster out of Red Lake Falls, MN as its sales and distribution partner and set up a contract with Superior Steel in the Twin Ports to provide manufacturing support.

Although the team has already installed several boilers in the northeastern U.S., the installation in Finland, Minnesota represents the first project in the APEX service territory. This installation involved two boilers, which allows for greater handling of peak and off-peak loads. The smaller boiler offers a capacity of 1.2 million BTU/hr and the larger about 2.2 million BTU/hr. Although these systems can burn wood chips, this installation is set up to burn wood pellets, with a 20-ton pellet silo on site. 

In the coldest part of the year, 20 ons of wood pellets would provide about 10 or so days of heating for this customer. The pellets are being supplied by Great Lakes Renewable Energy of Hayward, Wisconsin and estimates suggest that these pellets will offer a 50% cost savings over propane per million BTU. ABE Systems of Duluth was the prime contractor on the install and may provide similar support for additional installations being considered in this region.

This project tells a great story about the ability of biomass and wood pellet fuels to allow regional economies to capture as much energy spending within their local communities as possible. Instead of paying twice as much for propane and seeing almost all of those dollars flow immediately out of the region, Wolf Ridge will spend less for fuel harvested and produced in northern Wisconsin, they will feed that fuel into boilers manufactured in Superior, and the boilers were installed and will be serviced by Minnesota companies. All of this leads to new economic activity and jobs in our region.

Several new members have joined APEX in 2012, including Involta, an Iowa-based company which provides full service data center facilities and expertise to manage and protect mission critical computer systems and associated data. Founded in 2007, Involta was ranked #40 on the 2010 Inc 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in the United States and is recognized as a preeminent provider of data center facilities and technology services in the Central United States. APEX and its partners worked extensively with the Involta management team in 2011, as the Company moved forward with plans for a new data storage facility in the Duluth Technology Park.

Also new to APEX this year is CW Technology, a leading provider in networks, information technology, print management and phone systems in the upper Midwest. CW Technology serves a wide range of customers and clientele from all over the five-state region, including city governments, health care providers, financial institutions, regional corporations, small businesses and home users. CW Technology recently announced several new additions to its Duluth staff and anticipates a strong year in 2012.

Granite Equity Partners has also joined APEX in 2012, further strengthening the relationship between APEX and one of Minnesota's leading private investment firms. Headquartered in St. Cloud, 

Granite Equity Partners is a private investment firm founded by community-based entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and business professionals, who intend to make a positive impact on businesses in Greater Minnesota. The firm specializes in financing buyouts, recapitalizations, and growth company transactions, which include the sale or purchase of a business, generational transfers, or business expansions.

Finally, we are pleased to report that Citon Computer Corp has joined APEX this year. Citon specializes in IT innovation - from customized commercial PCs, to the design and deployment of high-end security solutions for international companies. The Company recently relocated to a new headquarters building in downtown Duluth to accommodate the growth of its three core businesses - Citon, Telcologix and Vilarri Mobile Solutions. The new facility will also house Citon's new Cloud Computing Data Center, further expanding its service offering to customers and clientele.

Like all APEX members, the companies above have a vested interest in seeing the communities of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin thrive. They have invested in APEX because of our results-driven approach to driving new investments and private sector job growth throughout the region.  If your business is interested in joining APEX, you can learn more by contacting Sandy Johnson at: (218) 740-3667 

In the meantime, please join us in welcoming Involta, CW Technology, Granite Equity Partners, and Citon Computer Corp as the newest members of APEX!

On December 20th, 2011, APEX Members gathered to learn more about the opportunity of hiring from within the Duluth at Work program. With the objective of expanding employer partnerships, the program featured a point of view by Mayor Ness, insights about our future economy from Drew Digby of DEED, two employee/participant testimonials and one employer testimonial. The event was a great success and was well attended by human resources professionals from key employers in the area. As a result of this event, the Duluth At Work program has already yielded five new employer partner relationships, with additional follow-up scheduled for the next few weeks to bring even more connections into the portfolio.

Since 2008, Duluth at Work has focused efforts on two target groups - job seekers and small business owners. A snapshot of the program’s success is as follows.

 
Workforce Development / Job Seekers: 
    • 255 participants 
    • 245 (96%) completed work-related trainings 
    • 192 (75%) successfully secured and maintained long term employment 
    • Results: Increasing incomes, building financial assets, homeownership, higher

      education, reduction in public benefits, career laddering and promotion

Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs: 
    • 59 business owner and entrepreneurial participants 
    • 57 completed 9 week trainings, in peer groups and/or received targeted technical

      assistance to more fully develop their business fundamentals and maintain a

      competitive edge in our changing economy 
    • Results: Increasing revenues, new jobs created, storefront renovation loans,

      leverage of new and more diverse funding, expansion into new markets or product

      lines
 
Duluth at Work is a workforce development/poverty reduction model co-facilitated by Duluth LISC and the City of Duluth. To learn more, please contact Emily Larson at: (218) 355-8070

On November 16-17, 2011, Elissa Hansen, APEX Director of Business Development attended the Policy and Progress: Border to Border Broadband conference held at the Greysolon Ballroom in Duluth. Hosted by the Blandin Foundation, the conference opened with an overview of the National Broadband Policy by Tom Koutsy from Connected Nation. Connect Minnesota, a subsidiary of Connected Nation, also provided an overview of efforts aimed at getting all broadband providers in the state communicating effectively with one another. Connect Minnesota has created and kept an updated detailed map of the state's broadband coverage, thereby helping to accurately pinpoint the major gaps within the state. You can learn more by visiting www.connectmn.org

The other major focus areas covered at the conference included the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities (MIRC) projects. The four projects occurring in northeast Minnesota include:

1. Cook County: Fiber Optics through the Forest by Arrowhead Electric Cooperative
2. Greater Minnesota Broadband Collaborative by Enventis Telecom
3. Fiber to the Premise in Lake County by Lake County 
4. Northeast Minnesota’s Middle Mile Fiber Project by Northeast Service Cooperative

 
Each project focuses on creating more connectivity in varying ways across the Arrowhead Region and throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin, while further educating the public on the benefits of expanded broadband infrastructure and its capabilities for personal and business use. To learn more about how APEX is leveraging this world-class infrastructure to expand the region's business base, please contact Elissa Hansen at (218) 740-3667

On Wednesday, October 26, 2011, Elissa Hansen, APEX Director of Business Development attended the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Manufacturers Summit in Minneapolis. The Chamber estimates that Minnesota manufacturers contribute more than $30 billion to the state's economy, representing 17% of the state’s gross domestic product. With nearly one in seven jobs in Minnesota tied to the manufacturing industry, Minnesota manufacturers are clearly the backbone of our economy.

As global pressures and changing demographics present new challenges for manufacturers, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's 2011 Manufacturers Summit provided an insightful glimpse into the future of this dynamic segment of our economy. The event was well attended and the attitude among the manufacturers present was generally optimistic.

Major takeaways for our local manufacturers included eight "best practices" designed to keep their operations thriving and growing in today’s highly competitive global marketplace.  These include:

 
1. Invest in training your workforce.
2. Invest in automation and high-tech.
3. Create a culture of continuous improvement.
4. Implement automated performance tracking.
5. Measure procurement and on-time delivery.
6. Manage vendor relationships to reduce costs.
7. Pass on pricing increases.
8. Expand into international markets.

It comes as no surprise to those of us in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin that investing in a well trained, productive workforce is the #1 key to success in the manufacturing sector. Technologically Advanced Worker’s (TAWs) were stressed in various parts of the day’s discussions at the 2011 Manufacturers Summit, with speakers providing multiple examples of successful workforce training programs, including the Arrowhead's very own Applied Learning Institute.  

Other programs cited include "Dream !t Do !t" and the Obama Administration’s Board on Jobs & Competitiveness Council’s Right Skills Now program. In one way or another, all of these programs are focused on increasing the number of people entering the workforce in skilled production, technology, engineering, and other industry-focused areas.

To learn more about workforce development initiatives and other efforts to support manufacturing businesses in northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin, please contact Elissa Hansen at: (218) 740-3667

Or, if you are a manufacturer who needs focused strategic support as you grow your business and compete in the global marketplace, consider contracting with the APEX Strategic Resources Group.  Contact Peter Miller today to learn more.

On October 4th, 2011, the APEX team participated in the Northern Regional Broadband Networks Forum: Driving Business Development and Innovation. During this afternoon forum, over 100 area business owners and leaders gathered to learn more about new business opportunities available through the region's ever-expanding fiber optics network, while further exploring what networks currently exist or are being built in our region. Rob West, APEX President & CEO, facilitated the discussion and moderated presentations delivered by representatives from some of the region's leading companies, public sector leaders and academic institutions, including Involta, UW Extension, Cook County, Granite Gear, and UnitedHealth Group. Representatives from each entity commented on various elements of how broadband technology impacts their day-to-day business, with specific examples of how they have successfully leveraged this technology for greater access to customers, deeper collaborations, educational transformation, and greater rural competitiveness.

APEX would like to thank its economic development partners Minnesota Power, Blandin Foundation, Northspan Group and the Northland Technology Consortium for sponsoring this event.  To learn more about how you can leverage broadband technology to grow your business, please contact Elissa Hansen at: (218) 740-3667

On Thursday, September 29th, 2011, Elissa Hansen, APEX Director of Business Development attended and exhibited at the Arrowhead Manufacturers & Fabricators Association (AMFA) Energy Conservation for Industry & Tabletop Trade Show. This one-day conference was held at the Holiday Inn in Duluth and provided tips and advice on how to conserve energy in lighting, motors/drive, compressed air, boilers and more. Industry-leading experts advised the group on strategies for getting an energy conservation project approved and how to realize a meaningful return on investment in conserving energy costs. The Tabletop Trade Show, which typically was held in Alexandria, MN was well attended and displayed an array of products and services available through AMFA members across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. To learn more about how an AMFA membership could benefit your business, please contact Executive Director Sandy Kashmark at (877) 330-2632