October 8, 2008

GM Begins Traverse Production in Spring Hill

Governor Phil Bredesen and ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber joined GM Regional Government Relations Director Ed Wallace at the production launch of Chevrolet's new Traverse at GM's plant in Spring Hill.

Governor Phil Bredesen and ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber joined officials of General Motors last week to celebrate the production launch of their all-new 2009 crossover, the Chevrolet Traverse, at the company's retooled manufacturing facility in Spring Hill.

GM announced the $600 million investment and named the new product for Spring Hill Manufacturing in October 2007. Since then, major construction and rebuild of the plant production areas have been underway in preparation for this recent milestone.

The retooling project included a 500,000-square-foot addition to the plant paint shop for a state-of-the art e-coat phosphate primer system. It also encompassed a complete clearing and rebuilding of the facility's 1.2 million-square-foot general assembly area.

The launch of production at Spring Hill Manufacturing is one of GM's fastest from plan development to product rolling off the line. Spring Hill is a growing community located 40 miles south of Nashville. The plant lies within the borders of Maury County. Approximately 3,481 workers are employed at the site. More than 3.752 million vehicles have been produced at the facility since it opened in 1990.

Eastman, Domtar Partner in Training Effort

ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber joined officials from the City of Kingsport, Eastman Chemical Company, Domtar and Northeast Technical Community College to break ground on a new Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

Construction is now underway on a training facility for highly skilled manufacturing jobs in Kingsport, Tenn. Two of the city's most prominent companies, chemical, fiber and plastic manufacturer Eastman Chemical and specialty paper producer Domtar, have partnered with Northeast State Technical College to build the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing to train the local workforce for future jobs.

ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber and local officials joined the companies and the school last week to break ground on the new facility, which is expected to be completed next fall.

"We all know that a company is only as strong as its employees, and steps like this one ensure that Eastman and Domtar and others have a well-stocked pool of trained workers from which to draw as they grow," Kisber said.

Commissioner Meets VW Leadership Team

ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber, right, joined Don Jackson, left, newly named plant manager for VW's Chattanooga plant, and Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, center, at a reception this week in Chattanooga for potential suppliers to Volkswagen's new manufacturing facility.

Amsino Medical USA to Expand

The Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce's Partnership 2010 (P2010) has announced that Amsino Medical USA will be expanding operations in Nashville. Amsino, the leader in manufacturing pre-filled flush syringes for catheters, is a minority-owned company specializing in Class II medical devices used in any health care facility that provides intravenous treatment.

In 1998, Baxter Healthcare opened up a compounding center in Nashville. Two years later, the company expanded its compounding operation to manufacture flush syringes. In July 2005, a privately held company, Medical Research Partners, Inc., doing business as Amsino Medical USA, acquired Baxter's assets. Over the past three years, Amsino has increased the quality and production capacity of the pre-filled flush market. Today the company has a leading, state-of-the art, fully automated operation in Nashville.

Amsino Medical USA currently has 90 employees, but will be expanding over the next two years, adding 84 new employees with a new capital investment of $3.5 million.

Lenco Liquids to Create 60 Jobs

Lenco Laboratories LLC., based in Warren, R. I., has chosen Loretto, Tenn., for its new manufacturing facility, where it will do business as Lenco Liquids and create an anticipated 60 new jobs with an average production wage of $14 per hour. The company will invest nearly $4 million over the next 3 years in this facility.

Lenco Liquids is a manufacturing company that specializes in design, development, testing and production of a large array of personal care products such as liquids, gels and soap bars.  Initially, they will produce liquid soap, gels and shampoos in their new Loretto facility. They currently produce specialty bar soaps for several recognizable global companies. 

Sevier County has the distinction of having three birthdays: in 1785 under the State of Franklin, in 1794 under the Southwest Territory and in 1796 under the State of Tennessee. Both the county and the county seat, Sevierville, were named in honor of Tennessee's first governor, John Sevier.

Source:
Tennessee Encyclopedia

Tues. Oct 14 - Wed. Oct. 15
Knoxville, Tenn.
Commissioner Kisber will participate in the Governor's Summit on Clean Energy Technology.

To request ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber to speak or attend an event, please contact Jennifer Alward at (615) 253-1852 or jennifer.alward@state.tn.us

We invite your thoughts on the ECD Hot Sheet. Please click here to contact ECD Communications with any questions, concerns or suggestions you may have.

Business Development

BERO

Entrepreneurship Week Coming Soon

ECD's BERO team is coordinating entrepreneurship activities statewide for the first annual Global Entrepreneurship Week November 17-23, 2008.  More than 20 events are being planned to promote entrepreneurship and innovation among young people.  Activities will include a venture capital elevator pitch competition, an entrepreneurship conference, youth entrepreneur training, CEO roundtables, speed networking, You Tube business competitions and more.  Events will occur in every major city in the state as well as rural towns like Martin, Union City, Columbia, Waynesboro and Carthage.  If you are interested in participating in this global event that reaches more 60 countries, please contact Michelle Proctor at (615) 741-8914 or visit Global Entrepreneurship Week online.

Entrepreneur Site Built for Boomers

The U.S. Small Business Administration has unveiled a new Web site geared to the 50-plus entrepreneur. The site provides useful information, links and resources vital to starting, growing and expanding a small business. The new Web site features interactive information and links to help 50-plus entrepreneurs discover the benefits and rewards of business ownership and to help them make informed choices about business ownership. 

BERO Specialist Speaks in Waynesboro

Left to Right: Sharon Johnson, of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Bob Haggard, Waynesboro Rotary Club President, and Wisty Pender, BERO.

BERO Enterprise Specialist Wisty Pender was the guest speaker at a meeting hosted by the Wayne County Workforce Employer Outreach Committee in conjunction with the Waynesboro Rotary Club on Tuesday, Sept. 30 in Waynesboro.

BERO, the Business Enterprise Resource Office, within the State of Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development provides technical assistance and counseling to small businesses looking to start, expand and relocate. BERO also provides assistance with procurement opportunities and access to financing. Whether a company is looking for the steps to do business with the State of Tennessee or is seeking capital, BERO can connect a ready, willing and able company to the right resources.

BERO Exhibits at Tourism Trade Show

The BERO office participated in the Tourism Trade Show at the 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism in Gatlinburg September 25 and 26. The topic of this year's conference, Tennessee Tourism: Reaching Higher Ground, brought attendees from across the state to learn ways that they can further tourism within their  region, county and/or city. For more information on the conference, visit this Web site.

Community Development

Retire Tennessee

Retire TN Attends Business Conference

Two Retire Tennessee communities attended the 9th Annual National Active Retirement Association Business Conference last week in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Cumberland County Chamber CEO Beth Alexander, Jeanette Scalf with Networks Sullivan County, Kira Dykstra with the Kingsport Chamber and Beth Stockton with the Bristol Chamber learned how to better understand the 50+ market and how to take advantage of the coming Age Wave.  Topics covered at the conference included Positioning your Community for Success, Successful Marketing to a Targeted 50+ Audience and Beyond the Bust, On to Boomtown. Diana O'Toole, state retirement program director from Mississippi, and Ramay Winchester, Retire Tennessee director, shared how to Establish a Retirement Relocation Program for your Community.

The American Association of Retirement Communities will hold its annual national conference next month in Savannah, Ga. For more information, visit www.the-aarc.org, or call Ramay Winchester at (731) 336-2630.