Dozens of times each day, the skilled workers at Miracle Tools America in Davenport must stop what they’re doing and clean. Making drill bits can be a dirty business, and the tiny water channels that are used to keep tools cool have a tendency to get clogged. Hence, the company decided to begin experimenting with a new type of employee – one that wouldn’t mind the monotony. One who is made of metal.
Author: Jeff Eckhoff
Communications Manager at CIRAS, Iowa State University
Our Third Annual All-Iowa Holiday Gift List
Every year around this time, we like to take a minute to remind everybody that we make great things here in Iowa.
STAFF NEWS: Justin Niceswanger is a Government Contracting Specialist
Justin Niceswanger has joined CIRAS as a government contracting specialist with the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). He will be based out of a CIRAS office in Clive and will serve business owners who are located inside the city of Des Moines.
Quick Service by Metallurgist Gives ALMACO Peace of Mind
A Nevada, Iowa-based agricultural equipment company saved a possible $12 million worth of business because CIRAS metallurgists helped the company confirm the viability of a new machine.
Because You Know We’re Worth It: ILC Memberships are due
Attention: Iowa Lean Consortium members! The renewal process for ILC memberships will operate differently this year.
Legacy Manufacturing Reshores Jobs Using Robot Turntable
Legacy Manufacturing in Marion has added seven new employees (with at least three more coming soon) after a CIRAS-assisted automation program helped the company reshore production of one of its most popular products.
Learning the Rules of the Federal Sales Game
Selling your product or service to the federal government can be a confusing prospect: You catch a glimpse of what appears to be a lucrative future sitting on the horizon, but the path to that goal is blocked by a confusing mass of questions that need to be answered before you can get there.
Good Managers Solve Problems for People, Speaker tells CEOs at ILC Power Breakfast
Maintaining competitive advantage in a growing business is a lot like finding yourself in a leaky rowboat 10 miles from shore, Jim Lancaster told members and guests of the Iowa Lean Consortium (ILC). Business leaders tend to focus most of their energy on putting out the daily fires, Lancaster said. But a company can easily stagnate if no one works to push the operation toward a distant goal.
American Packaging Finds Its Future, Proof of French Fry Potential
American Packaging in Story City landed a $750,000 contract and a new line of business because CIRAS helped the company prove that it could reliably produce plastic bags that a potential customer needed for frozen french fries.
A Good Elevator Speech Can Help You Maximize Opportunity
All it takes is a few good seconds to make a positive first impression and grow your business. However, those few seconds can require hours of preparation to look natural, confident, and enthusiastic. And even then, it doesn’t always work. For example, at most meetings, conferences, and networking events, people are asked to introduce themselves and talk about their company. This is their time to shine! But many miss their chance at free advertising because they are uncomfortable or have trouble explaining what they do or sell.