Terrence Thames wants to play a larger role in his profession and his community. That’s one of the reasons Thames (at right in photo above) is pressing to grow his small Des Moines advertising agency into a major creative provider for private brands and public organizations around the country.
Author: Jeff Eckhoff
Communications Manager at CIRAS, Iowa State University
With Service Bureaus Coming, Is Iowa at an Additive Manufacturing Inflection Point?
Dennis Fogle believes the dawn is coming for his industry in Iowa. “We’re right on the edge,” said Fogle, general manager of Agile Additive Manufacturing Ltd. in Pella. “It’s just over the hill. . . . I think we just need a little bit more education here.” Agile, a recently formed offshoot of Canada’s largest 3D printing service bureau, opened in Iowa last year in preparation for an expected wave in the use of 3D printing in Iowa manufacturing. Several other Iowa companies likewise have been formed over the last two years with a business plan that involves designing and/or 3D printing products for others. All report more fervent interest in the technology.
Update: Future of Manufacturing Series
About 18 months ago, CIRAS announced its new “Future of Manufacturing” series to help manufacturers become ready for what is “next” in manufacturing. While this was a significant leap, it was based on a simple premise: changes in technology, workforce, and business models were moving so fast that we needed to help get Iowa manufacturers out in front.
Did you know?… How to Sell to Iowa Public Schools
Have you ever thought of selling your goods and services to an Iowa public school system? A lot of money is spent in education, and districts take their spending responsibilities very seriously. There are 367 school districts throughout Iowa. Selling to a school district may be a potential opportunity for your company, but first you need to know your customer.
ANNOUNCING: Iowa Lean Consortium to Merge with CIRAS
AMES, IOWA – The Iowa Lean Consortium (ILC), a nonprofit founded eight years ago to promote business efficiency throughout the Iowa economy, will be merging with Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) effective July 2.
CIRAS PTAP—Link to National Network of Contracting Expertise
Government contracting is a byzantine business—a long and plodding trek through a jungle filled with complicated regulation, documentation requirements, and new marketing challenges. Sound impossible? Not if you have help.
Planning Continues to Bring About ‘Year of Manufacturing’ Industry Expansion
Industry experts from around the state are developing a detailed plan for growing Iowa manufacturing—with CIRAS slated to play a leading role both in the plan’s design and its implementation. The ongoing effort stems from 2017’s governor’s Year of Manufacturing initiative, which charged the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Innovation Council (IIC) with finding ways to increase a $29 billion manufacturing gross domestic product to $32 billion by 2022.
The Dimensional Group Finds a New Approach
By the time CIRAS walked through his door, Adam Gold was ready to listen. It was 2014, and it was clear that The Dimensional Group was a company with problems. The Mason City custom packaging and commercial printing firm had stretched beyond its capabilities.
Survey: U.S. Treasury gets $14.50 for every $1 spent on MEP
Each dollar the federal government spent on the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership in 2017 generated a $14.50 return to the United States treasury, according to a new survey from the W.E. Upjohn Institute.
Sukup named Iowa’s first “Manufacturing Technology Company of the Year”
Sukup Manufacturing’s focus on the future of agriculture – one where technology seamlessly creates a “fully integrated farm” – helped make it Iowa’s first “Manufacturing Technology Company of the Year.”