GRAND RAPIDS ? Twelve companies were honored by the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center not only for the success in sales, employment and business strategy, but also on the company?s economic impact and involvement with MI-SBTDC in providing them assistance to reach their goals.
The companies recognized for the award are as follows:
Jim?s Music ? Escanaba
Mayes Chiropractic ? Traverse City
NorthShore Financial ? Alpena
DCM Associates, LLC ? Mount Pleasant
Quality Air of Midland, Inc. ? Midland
PMC Environmental Technologies ? Mount Morris
Zeeland Farm Services ? Zeeland
ECTC?Bakery Caf� ? Lansing
Atlas Global Bistro ? Detroit
I.F. Metalworks ? Warren
Kalexsyn, Inc. ? Kalamazoo
Heppner Landscaping Services ? Ypsilanti
Zeeland Farm Services is a soybean processing plant is the largest meal and oil producing facility in the State of Michigan. Located in Zeeland, the state-of-the-art technology is utilized to process approximately 25,000 bushels of soybeans per day and is predicted to strengthen Michigan?s agricultural climate. The soybean meal is primarily used in animal feed as a source of protein; the soybean oil is used as a food product for human consumption or as an input into bio-diesel, a renewable diesel fuel alternative.
Business Consultant, Ken Rizzio from the MI-SBTDC Ottawa County Economic Development Office (OCEDO) assisted ZFS in obtaining the designation of its 14-acre site for the construction of a new $4 million soybean oil refinery and bleaching plant as an Agricultural Processing Renaissance Zone (APRZ) by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Department of Agriculture. The MI-SBTDC also assisted ZFS in obtaining two P.A. 198 tax abatements from Zeeland Charter Township for its $5 million investment in the construction of a six-mile long gas pipeline and improvements to its processing plant to utilize this new energy source.
Thomas and Elynne Cunningham, owners of the ECTC?Bakery Caf� in East Lansing, provide fine, full- service dining and a retail bakery where all food is made from scratch. When the Cunningham?s approached the MI-SBTDC, hosted by Lansing Community College, they were in the process of creating a business plan that would help them to obtain adequate bank funding. Regional Director, Bo Garcia assisted with outlining the plan, as well as providing examples, resources and projection software. In addition to drafting a business plan, the next obstacle was finding financing. The MI-SBTDC supplied the Cunninghams with a list of lenders in the Lansing area to ensure that their business plan landed in the right hands.
Kalexsyn provides medicinal chemistry services to scientific customers involved in the drug discovery process. In November 2003, founders Robert Gadwood and David Zimmerman conceived and implemented the design for laboratories in the Southwest Michigan Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art business incubator/accelerator. By working with Kalamazoo College MI-SBTDC Business Consultant, Steve Dobbs, the company received personalized business plan development and financial modeling services. Several members of the Kalexsyn staff took part in trainings and workshops offered through the MI-SBTDC.
Total funds secured from the State of Michigan are $415,000, and locally the company received a $200,000 economic milestone grant. Construction for Kalexsyn was completed in February 2004 and chemistry operations commenced the following month. Since working with the MI-SBTDC, Kalexsyn has secured a customer base of 34 pharmaceutical and biotech clients and created 16 new jobs, 14 of which are salaried scientific positions. Due to rapid growth, the company initiated construction of additional labs in May 2004, expanding from 3000 square feet to a total of 6500 square feet.
As a result of the MI-SBTDC?s assistance, a $741,000 loan was obtained. Also, 50 new jobs have been created and a product mix and advertising strategy was formed to generate more business. ECTC?Bakery Caf� has seen continual growth in their business and look forward to increasing sales in 2005.
The MI-SBTDC provides counseling, training and advocacy for Michigan?s new business ventures, existing small businesses, expanding new businesses, new technology companies, and innovators. The MI-SBTDC is housed at Grand Valley State University?s Seidman College of Business in Grand Rapids. As host of the MI-SBDC State Headquarters, the Seidman College of Business oversees the twelve region MI-SBDC network.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners may access the services of their nearest MI-SBTDC by click on MISBTDC.Org
