REBRANDING MICHIGAN

Business conversations on pulling Michigan out of recession

The regressive slide of Michigan's national economic image has created an encyclopedia of branding pitfalls that businesses big and small are hoping to avoid.

It's prompted many Michigan companies to ask marketing firms to help reshape their images to highlight their economic diversity and flexibility, according to several interviews with marketing professionals.

Continue reading "Michigan struggles to change perception that it's reliant on traditional industries" »

The first day of the University of Michigan/Urban Land Institute Real Estate Forum in Grand Rapids was low key, with many participants feeling the continued weight of the national financial market.

But outside the somber sessions and panels, members of Michigan's commercial real estate industry used the day more to make connections than to complain about a lack of capital.

Although one pesky Business Review editor insisted on pursuing the topic of lending challenges, most gathered at Amway Grand Hotel seemed optimistic -- not about a quick financial recovery, not about a surge in real estate demand, not about the state or national government fixing anything -- but about Michigan businesses' ability to push through one more economic challenge.

Continue reading "Real estate forum continues the merging of East and West Michigan" »

For any doubters to the notion of auto-dependent Michigan becoming a future biotechnology destination, perhaps two separate but related events of the past week may alter their perspective.

First, a California biotech company developing new genetic tests announced it's buying the Center for Molecular Medicine in Grand Rapids amid plans for a future new lab that may create up to 523 jobs by 2013.

Continue reading "Biotech industry seen as 'fertile ground' in Michigan" »

The state's transportation industry is increasingly turning green, with environmental issues seeping into industries including truck transmissions, biofuel blending and even hybrid-powered rail locomotives.

That was evident by the more than 200 people who attended the first-ever Michigan Clean Transportation Expo & Awards gala Wednesday at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.

The event, which was sponsored by Ypsilanti-based Clean Energy Coalition, NextEnergy and the Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities Coalition, drew more than 200 attendees and exhibitors from companies and organizations including Cummins Inc., Michigan CAT and the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan.

Continue reading "Green technology taking over state's transportation sector" »

Peter Secchia

We started out with good intentions. All of us.

Organizers for the West Michigan Regional Policy Conference, including the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and co-chairs from various businesses, emphasized the mission of this first-time event was not -- repeat, not --- to further divide East and West.

We were not going to play an us-verus-them game. We were going to cast out a friendly hand in an easterly direction and invite further discussion and an open dialogue.

And then the Kwame jokes started.

Continue reading "Let's bridge Michigan's divide - for real this time" »

Michigan Business Review on Sept. 18 published a comprehensive 70-page publication discussing various alternative energy issues and companies in Michigan. Stories, photos and video:

• Renewable energy standards draw near in legislation

• Michigan looks to wind for power and jobs

• Manufacturers retool for wind power industry

• Solar industry supporters seek critical mass in Michigan

• State government investing in clean energy companies, venture efforts

• Michigan's research universities positioned to lead alternative energy research rush

• 'Clean' energy getting a more critical appraisal

• Automotive industry turning to alternative solutions in race to return to profitability

• Michigan innovators work to make alternative energy mobile

• Researchers work to use biotech to advance alternative fuel solutions

• State courts solar silicon maker Hemlock

• Michigan's cloudy skies shouldn't rule out solar power

• Fuel economy, alternative energy diversification driving auto supplier Ricardo Inc.

• Ann Arbor startup hopes to facilitate offshore wind farms out of sight

• Michigan companies carve out niche in energy efficiency products

• Office furniture industry finalizing sustainability standard

• Our opinion: We should be our own power broker

• Michigan Business Review's Lifetime Innovator: Stanford Ovshinsky

• Michigan Business Review's Innovator of the Year: Adaptive Materials Inc.

Michigan's economy suffers not from a dependance on auto manufacturing but from poor governance, said Robert Genetski, an economist from Chicago.

Genetski, Heartland Institute policy adviser, offered research that showed Michigan's decline from being one of the healthiest economies in the nation in the 1960s to the poorest in the nation the past five years.

"Michigan ranks 50 out of 50 states," he said.

Continue reading "Regional Policy Conference: Governance, not auto, to blame for Michigan's economy" »

West Michigan has several positives working for it in a national battle to attract young talent, Carol Coletta, president of CEOs for Cities, told the West Michigan Regional Policy Conference today.

None of them have to do with being "cool."

Michigan Business Review and its daily newspaper partners will cover the conference with live posts at www.mlive.com/business

As a state trying desperately to woo and win young talent, we have collectively missed the target in thinking it's about nightclubs and social scenes, Coletta told the large gathering at the policy conference at lunchtime.

"It's about labor. It's about talent."

And as we work to right our direction, we need to maximize the assets we have, not bemoan those we fear we lack. And quickly.

Because the peak of entrepreneurship occurs at age 30 and declines from there, Coletta warned. In essence, figure it out and fast.

We know this elusive work force termed the Millennials chooses first where they'll live, then hunts down a job. The items that lure them are strong downtowns, cultural diversity, sustainability or green living, clean and attractive places, safety and affordability.

Sound like your home town?

It does mine.

Continue reading "West Michigan gets national pointers on attracting young work force" »

Wind turbines may be among the most environmentally friendly forms of energy available, but coastal landowners often balk at the possibility of offshore wind turbines, complaining they ruin scenic views.

But one Ann Arbor startup is forming plans to develop, own and operate offshore wind farms that can't be seen from land.

Deep Water Wind, a startup led by former DTE Energy vice president Chris Brown, has investments from private equity firms. Brown, also former executive vice president of DTE Energy Resources, said the under-the-radar 2-year-old startup, which has 13 employees, is "totally funded."

Continue reading "Ann Arbor startup hopes to facilitate offshore wind farms out of sight" »

The state's solar industry is growing - but can the renewable energy source also generate power for Michigan in coming years?

Contradictory to the assumption that Michigan's cloudy climate will prohibit the state from capitalizing on solar energy, some industry leaders believe solar energy technology will be a legitimate source of power for the state.

Continue reading "Michigan's cloudy skies shouldn't rule out solar power" »

Top executives from some of the largest companies in both Southeastern and West Michigan hope to reconvene a regional meeting by year's end, the head of the nonprofit Detroit Renaissance said Thursday.

Doug Rothwell, president of the Detroit-based economic growth organization, said the meeting would reprise a gathering held at the office of Domino's Pizza CEO David Brandon in August. The meeting drew the likes of Bill Ford Jr., executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. [NYSE:F], Richard Manoogian of Masco Corp. [NYSE:MAS], Hank Meijer and Mark Murray from Walker-based Meijer Inc. and Jim Hackett of Steelcase Inc. [NYSE:SCS].

"What we discovered was our interests were very common, and with a few exceptions, even our solutions, our approaches to solving them, were pretty common as well," Rothwell said during an interview before the start of the inaugural West Michigan Policy Conference in Grand Rapids.

Continue reading "Top CEOs from state's west, east sides to meet" »

Ricardo Inc.

Ricardo Inc., a UK-based company with its North American headquarters in Van Buren Township, has historically focused mostly on traditional automotive engineering consulting services. But the firm is now diversifying its business model to offer alternative propulsion engineering services and to pursue clean technologies such as solar and wind power. Watch this video to see how Ricardo is making that transition.

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Troy-based Ilumisys is commercializing energy efficient LED technology, which it describes as more efficient and environmentally friendly than compact florescent bulbs. Watch this video to see more about the company's solid-state lighting.

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Plymouth-based AVL North America Inc. is offering engineering services to major automakers in an effort to assist the industry's transition to alternative propulsion technologies. Watch this video to see more of what AVL is accomplishing.

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Ann Arbor-based Adaptive Materials is commercializing fuel cell technology that harnesses small propane canisters to generate power in various mobile applications. The U.S. military is the top market for Adaptive Materials, which is led by husband-and-wife team Aaron and Michelle Crumm. Michigan Business Review has selected Adaptive Materials as its Innovator of the Year. Watch this video for more about Adaptive Materials.

The Chevrolet Volt won't immediately fix General Motors' profitability struggles, but it may be a catalyst in redefining the automotive giant's image on a global scale.

General Motors, which once effectively scoffed at hybrid vehicles like Toyota's Prius, is now hoping to leapfrog its competitors in the race to commercializing alternative propulsion vehicles by introducing the Volt in late 2010.

Continue reading "Nathan Bomey: GM leans on Chevrolet Volt to reshape global image" »