The Iowa Lean Consortium’s (ILC) Annual Conference, the state’s largest event for continuous improvement professionals, will return this year on October 25, 2022 at the Meadows Event Center in Altoona. This year’s ILC conference will be a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend sessions, network, and engage with vendors in-person or virtually. The keynote addresses … Continue reading ILC Annual Conference Announces Keynote Speakers
Year: 2022
Watching Iowa’s Economy
To say that the current economy is unpredictable is an understatement. One of the most frequent questions we get from businesses in Iowa is whether we are going to have a recession. There are countless approaches to analyzing the economy and whether there will be a recession. Even highly technical approaches have a lot of … Continue reading Watching Iowa’s Economy
Registration Paves the Way for Highway Improvement Contracts
A $1 trillion infrastructure bill signed into law last November could mean more projects for Iowans who are certified to work with the government. Iowa is scheduled to receive $5 billion in funding for improvements, including $3.4 billion for highway repairs, $432 million to replace and repair bridges, $638 million for water infrastructure improvements, $305 … Continue reading Registration Paves the Way for Highway Improvement Contracts
Leading through the Workforce Crisis
Workforce shortages are impacting businesses of all types and sizes across the country. These challenges are more onerous in Iowa because of our slow population growth. Here is some advice that members of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network™ have published recently on strategies to help small- and medium-sized manufacturers address their workforce issues. … Continue reading Leading through the Workforce Crisis
Capstone Projects Are a Win-Win for Students, Industry
An increasing number of companies are turning to Iowa State University students for possible solutions to business needs through capstone projects. CIRAS project manager Jake Behrens said student capstone teams work with nearly 70 Iowa companies each year on projects that span one or two semesters. Students use the opportunities to demonstrate their ability to … Continue reading Capstone Projects Are a Win-Win for Students, Industry
ACT Safe Expecting Record Year
ACT Safe, a Sioux City business focused on assisting companies with compliance issues, is looking forward to a record year after receiving their 8(a) certification. ACT Safe plans to hire 15–20 new employees and hopes to secure more government contracts like the one that currently has founder Lorna Puntillo working with the Florida Veterans Administration … Continue reading ACT Safe Expecting Record Year
Iowa State’s Polymer and Food Protection Consortium Is on the Move
The Polymer and Food Protection Consortium (PFPC) recently shifted its packaging processing function to the Biocentury Research Farm near Boone, having outgrown its original facilities on the Iowa State campus. The larger space will enable PFPC to continue expanding its services in food safety research to support companies. With initial and ongoing support from CIRAS, … Continue reading Iowa State’s Polymer and Food Protection Consortium Is on the Move
Patience and Persistence Key to Potential $2 Million Sales Growth
There’s no such thing as an overnight success. Anything that results in sustainable growth requires patience and persistence. But the payoff can be substantial. That’s the lesson learned by Black Cat Wear Parts, a company that started working with CIRAS four years ago and is now poised to see increased sales of more than $2 … Continue reading Patience and Persistence Key to Potential $2 Million Sales Growth
Digital Manufacturing Lab Adds New Technologies
Iowa State’s CIRAS Digital Manufacturing Lab powered by Alliant Energy continues to invest in technologies that fit the needs of Iowa manufacturers. “Technology can change rapidly through software, hardware, or material improvements,” said Chris Hill, CIRAS program director. “A key to the continued success of the digital lab is to ensure we have access to … Continue reading Digital Manufacturing Lab Adds New Technologies
Connections Help Business Assume Financial Management
A Sioux City construction company now handles a majority of its accounting work in-house thanks to the help it received from the Iowa Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program. I&A Construction’s primary focus is flat concrete work like sidewalks, driveways, trails, and curbs and gutters, as well as cast-in-place intakes. I&A Construction is DBE certified, which … Continue reading Connections Help Business Assume Financial Management