Cardinal and gold pride was on full display when Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen toured a Stellar Industries plant in Mason City this past August. The company, which manufactures hydraulic truck-mounted equipment, accessories, and specialty trailers, invited employees who were ISU graduates and current interns to join the tour, giving President Wintersteen a chance … Continue reading ISU President Tours Mason City Plant
Every product or service has features and benefits, but did you know that you should never mention a feature without explaining the benefit of that feature? Why? Because not every feature is a benefit to your target customer. For example, if your target customer lives in Florida, heated seats (the feature) of a product would … Continue reading Did You Know? Agencies Buy Benefits Not Features
The annual conference of the Iowa Lean Consortium (ILC) is scheduled for October 25. A hybrid event is planned to ensure easy access for all interested members and organizations. The event will be offered in person at the Meadows Event and Conference Center in Altoona; breakout sessions and keynote addresses will be livestreamed. The hybrid … Continue reading Save the Date: ILC Annual Conference
It’s no secret that Iowa businesses are struggling under the weight of current workforce constraints. So how can your company mitigate the impact? Over the long run, an organization-wide workforce strategy that collaboratively optimizes attraction, retention, productivity, and automation can help. This plan should be developed within the context of your regular strategic-planning cycle. Strategy … Continue reading Developing Your Own Workforce Strategy
Roxanne Schlue was two months into her new job at LMT Defense when the Eldridge company received one of its largest-ever federal contracts. Schlue’s job as compliance manager was to ensure that the appropriate flow-down clauses were passed down to subcontractors. For assistance with that, she turned to the CIRAS Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). “When … Continue reading Assistance with Flow-down Clauses Helps Ensure Contract Compliance
A partnership with the Iowa State University Meats Laboratory gives Iowa meat producers access to world-class research, technology, and training to keep them informed, updated, and competitive. “CIRAS helps us educate processors on basic meat science as well as advances in food processing and food safety technology,” said Terry Houser, associate professor and extension meat … Continue reading Giving Clients Access to a World-class Facility
Assistance from the CIRAS Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) helped an Oskaloosa-based manufacturer address inaccuracies in their invoicing information that were delaying payment for a government job. Larry Lewis, owner of Lewis Repair and Manufacturing, contacted CIRAS after experiencing a delay in getting paid for an incinerator he delivered to a military base in Florida. … Continue reading Invoicing Problems Resolved; Company Gets Paid
A worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of custom-made environment-controlled cabinets credits CIRAS with bringing a possible new market space to their attention. Percival Scientific, founded in 1886 and located in Perry, is exploring the feasibility of adapting its current product line to include cabinets for aging and fermenting meat. The idea was suggested … Continue reading Company and CIRAS Explore Adjacent Market
The relationship between Iowa industry and CIRAS has been pivotal to the growth of an Iowa State University program that helps senior engineering students apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to a real-world setting. “Because CIRAS works with manufacturers across the state, they are uniquely positioned to see opportunities within companies for student projects,” … Continue reading Engineering Capstone Program Gets High Marks from Industry
Here is CIRAS’s quick look at major economic indicators, our assessment of Iowa’s industrial economy, and recommendations for you as a business leader. For an introduction and a description of the indicators used, see our first post. Indicator Status Underlying Data Notes ISM Manufacturing PMI® Strong data with indications of price easing and availability … Continue reading Watching Iowa’s Economy – September