The homegrown-Hoosier company, which is a subsidiary of EMCOR Group (NYSE: EME), will invest $4.37 million to lease, expand and equip two facilities in Fort Wayne, bringing its total footprint in the community to 36.3 acres. The company will expand its existing facility to 140,000 square feet to house its administrative and engineering functions. In addition, Shambaugh will lease a 70,000 square-foot fabrication shop approximately 2.5 miles from its main campus. Both facilities are expected to be operational by September.

“With roots dating back 87 years in the Hoosier State, Shambaugh knows firsthand the benefits of operating in Indiana,” said Governor Mike Pence. “Our low tax rates, centralized location and skilled workforce make Indiana ideal for companies looking to exercise a competitive advantage and help us offer long-lasting value as a state that works for business.”

Shambaugh, which currently employs 528 full-time associates in Fort Wayne, 1,195 across Indiana and more than 1,800 nationally, has already begun hiring additional mechanical, process and refrigeration engineers, pipefitters and metal trades associates.

“We’re delighted to be expanding in Indiana, where we can access a skilled workforce that allows us to provide exceptional service to our customers,” said Mark Shambaugh, P.E., chief executive officer of Shambaugh. “We are very proud that our roots are here in Fort Wayne and look forward to continuing our longstanding commitment to the community.”

Founded in 1926, Shambaugh is the largest process, mechanical, electrical and plumbing construction services contractor in Indiana, with additional Indiana offices in Indianapolis, Lafayette and South Bend. The company, which operates in 44 states, serves clients in the industrial, food processing, commercial and healthcare industries. The company was the main builder and designer of the world’s largest, one million square-foot yogurt plant in Twin Falls, Idaho. The project was completed in 10 months, earning Shambaugh’s facility the designation 2013 Food Plant of the Year from Food Engineering magazine.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Shambaugh & Son, LP up to $1,000,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fort Wayne will consider additional tax abatement at the request of the Fort Wayne-Allen County Economic Development Alliance.

“Companies like Shambaugh are helping Fort Wayne continue to see job growth and positive momentum,” said Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry. “Shambaugh has a long history of sustainability here in our community. We’re appreciative of their commitment to our city.”

Homegrown-Hoosier companies like Shambaugh continue to invest in northeast Indiana, growing the region’s economy and creating jobs. Just last week, Pence joined executives at Brunswick Fort Wayne Operations to cut the ribbon on its new 360,000 square-foot facility. The company, which has manufactured recreational boats in the community for more than 50 years, announced plans in December to expand in Fort Wayne, adding up to 200 new jobs by 2016.

About Shambaugh & Son

Founded in 1926, Shambaugh & Son is one of the largest specialty contractors in the U.S., performing over $525 million of construction per year with over 1,800 employees throughout 44 states. Shambaugh specializes in the full range of new and retrofit construction for industrial, commercial, institutional, food processing, healthcare, commercial and bio-fuel projects. The scope of work entails the self-performance of eight broad disciplines, including mechanical, process, refrigeration, electrical, process controls, water and waste treatment, fire protection and temperature controls. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN, Shambaugh has offices in Indianapolis, Lafayette and South Bend, IN; Detroit and Kalamazoo, MI; Chicago, IL; and Toledo, OH. 

Shambaugh is a subsidiary of EMCOR Group, Inc. (NYSE: EME), a Fortune 500 company with estimated 2012 revenues of ~$6.5B. EMCOR is a leader in mechanical and electrical construction, energy infrastructure, and facilities services and a provider of critical infrastructure systems.  EMCOR gives life to new structures and sustains life in existing ones by its planning, installing, operating, maintaining, and protecting the sophisticated and dynamic systems that create facility environments—such as electrical, mechanical, lighting, air conditioning, heating, security, fire protection, and power generation systems—in virtually every sector of the economy and for a diverse range of businesses, organizations and government. EMCOR represents a rare combination of broad reach with local execution, combining the strength of an industry leader with the knowledge and care of 170 locations. The 28,000+ skilled employees of EMCOR have made the company, in the eyes of leading business publications, amongst the “World’s Most Admired” and “Best Managed”. EMCOR’s diversity—in terms of the services it provides, the industries it serves and the geography it spans—has enabled it to create a stable platform for sustained results. The company’s strong financial position has enabled it to attract and retain among the best local and regional talent, to undertake and complete the most ambitious projects, and to redefine and shape the future of the construction and facilities services industry. Additional information on EMCOR can be found at www.EMCORGroup.com. 

.

About IEDC

Created in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence. Victor Smith serves as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Eric Doden is the president of the IEDC. 

The IEDC oversees programs enacted by the General Assembly including tax credits, workforce training grants and public infrastructure assistance. All tax credits are performance-based. Therefore, companies must first invest in Indiana through job creation or capital investment before incentives are paid. A company who does not meet its full projections only receives a percentage of the incentives proportional to its actual investment. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

- 30 -

Media Contacts: 

Mava Heffler (Shambaugh) – 203.849.7814 ext. 730 or mheffler@emcor.net

Katelyn Hancock (IEDC) – 317.234.2294 or kahancock@iedc.in.gov

Some Indiana-developed technology is on the world stage. Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC in Indianapolis is featuring its advanced military pilot helmets this week at the International Paris Air Show. The system involves a glass monocle in front of a pilot’s eye displaying information such as moving maps and the location of potential enemies. Raytheon’s Indianapolis facility was recently awarded a $3.5 million contract from the U.S. Army to make the helmet-mounted display units.

June 15, 2013

News Release

Paris — Raytheon is featuring its AWARE line of advanced situational awareness products at the International Paris Air Show. The Advanced Warfighter Awareness for Real-time Engagement (AWARE) systems use cutting-edge helmet, cockpit and vehicle-mounted smart displays to give air and ground warfighters intuitive networking capability.

New and existing AWARE systems at the Paris Air Show include the multifunction Center Display Unit (CDU) for F-16 aircraft. Raytheon’s CDU is certified by the U.S. Air Force as the F-16′s Primary Flight Reference. The Helmet Mounted Integrated Targeting system is also being shown with the CDU demonstration.

Being demonstrated as well is the new Joint Tactical Air Controller system prototype for dismounted soldiers and the highly successful soldier-worn Aviation Warrior system with eye-level monocle display and 3D Audio.

“With our AWARE product line, our customers are able to cost effectively upgrade and significantly increase the situational awareness capabilities of their existing platforms,” said John D. Harris, Raytheon Company vice president and general manager of the company’s Intelligence, Information and Services business.

“With the global reach of the Paris Air Show,” he added, “we are also demonstrating the AWARE family of innovative ruggedized computer display systems for ground vehicles, which keep ground and airborne warfighters connected.”

About Raytheon AWARE
Advanced Warfighter Awareness for Real-time Engagement is a family of advanced products designed to maintain full situational awareness for pilots and dismounted soldiers.

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2012 sales of $24 billion and 68,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 91 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems; as well as a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @raytheon.

Source: Raytheon

MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Nyloncraft Inc., a major supplier of under the hood and structural plastic components, today announced the acquisition of the NYX Fort Wayne facility, a leading manufacturer of highly engineered, pressurized fluid handling vessels and components for under-the-hood vehicle applications.

The business will operate as part of Nyloncraft Inc., and will be called NCI Fort Wayne. Nyloncraft, which operates facilities in Indiana and Michigan, has built a reputation as a technical leader in the automotive and heavy trucking industries for its innovative vacuum boost technologies and structural parts.

“Under-the-hood components are critical areas of focus when looking toward the future of fuel-efficient vehicles,” said Jim Krzyzewski, President and CEO of Nyloncraft. “Bringing an operation like the NYX Fort Wayne facility into Nyloncraft further strengthens our position as an automotive industry leader and greatly benefits our customers, who are looking to us as a complete supply chain partner with deep technical expertise and broad geographic reach. In addition to our automotive customers, our industrial customers with small engine applications and hermetically sealed plastic welded products will benefit as well.”

The NCI Fort Wayne facility provides products and technology for several automotive applications such as brake reservoirs, surge tanks and suspension components. These additional competencies will deliver benefits for customers of Nyloncraft, who will now have access to more world-class, under-the-hood capabilities from an existing, trusted partner.

Nyloncraft is part of TECHNIPLAS, a group of specialized leaders in plastics that includes Dickten Masch Plastics based in Nashotah Wisconsin and Vallotech based in Vallorbe, Switzerland. The acquisition adds to the group’s growing competencies in the manufacture of
light-and heavy-duty plastic vehicle parts. Dickten Masch has facilities in Wisconsin, Iowa and Monterrey, Mexico, and is a custom thermoplastics and thermoset plastics manufacturer providing an array of automotive and industrial components including a dominant North American position in fluid level indicators. Vallotech specializes in extremely high-precision
thermoset and thermoplastic parts for the automotive industry.

“This transaction ultimately allows the NYX Fort Wayne facility under Nyloncraft to grow from a regional molder into a global plastics industry player under the Techniplas umbrella,” said Kim Korth, President and CEO of TECHNIPLAS.

Terms of the transaction are not being disclosed.

About Nyloncraft Inc.

Nyloncraft Inc.-part of The TECHNIPLAS Group of plastics-focused manufacturing businesses-has built a reputation within the automotive and heavy trucking industries for its ability to create new product innovations. The company does this while exceeding stringent automotive requirements to lower cost and reduce weight, and maintaining the highest level of quality and safety performance. To learn more, visit www.nyloncraft.com.

About the TECHNIPLAS Group TECHNIPLAS is a privately held group of specialized plastics companies.

With technically advanced facilities in North America and Europe, the group companies act as complete supply chain partners committed to on going innovation, deep technical expertise and flawless execution for exacting customers around the world.

For more information, visit www.techniplasgroup.com/.

Source: TECHNIPLAS

Portage, Ind. — Falk PLI Engineering & Surveying, Inc., an engineering and surveying firm, announced plans today to expand its headquarters here, creating up to 34 new jobs by 2016.

The homegrown-Hoosier company will renovate and equip a 9,000 square-foot facility at AmeriPlex at the Port business park in Portage. The facility, which will be fully operational this fall, will allow the company to expand its market for engineering services to include the power generation industry.

“The success of innovative companies like Falk PLI is proof that Hoosier ingenuity, paired with a prosperous business climate, can foster dramatic growth,” said Governor Mike Pence. “With the help of our knowledgeable workforce, low taxes and robust infrastructure, we are working hard to make Indiana stand out as a state that works for business.”

Falk PLI, which currently has 33 full-time employees in Indiana, has already begun hiring engineers, technicians and administrative support associates.

“Northwest Indiana has become a client-centric location for our growing business,” said Mike Falk, president and chief executive officer of Falk PLI. “While Falk PLI expands our geographic reach and services offered, Indiana remains the place where we can access an expanding base of customers and build upon our strong reputation.”

Founded in 1995, Falk PLI provides civil engineering and surveying services for the industrial, commercial and residential sectors. The company, which recently opened an additional office in Pittsburg, Pa., specializes in laser scanning and tracking technology. Falk PLI was the first company in the steel industry to utilize laser technology, allowing for the greatest possible accuracy and speed for precision measurements.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Falk PLI Engineering & Surveying, Inc. up to $350,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Portage approved additional tax abatement at the request of the Portage Economic Development Corporation.

“I am pleased that Falk PLI is expanding and creating even more jobs for Portage residents,” said Portage Mayor James E. Snyder. “Businesses in Portage are finding that growing is normal practice as they are embraced by the residents and the city. Falk PLI hires local residents and has found the value of the quality workforce in Portage and the region. We look forward to their continued success.”

Just this year, Indiana engineering-related companies, including L&E Engineering, NISCO and Drew Industries, have committed to create more than 1,200 jobs in the Hoosier State. Indiana’s nationally-recognized universities produce a steady supply of skilled engineers, with Purdue University’s graduate engineering program ranked eighth in the nation and Rose-Hulman’s undergraduate engineering program ranked first in the nation for schools without master’s degree programs by U.S. News and World Report.

About Falk PLI
Falk PLI was founded in 1995 and is a privately held surveying and engineering firm located in Portage, Ind. Our business philosophy is simply to help our clients realize gains in productivity and profitability. In doing so, we operate in a spirit of continuous improvement and seek excellence in all that we do. For more information about Falk PLI, visit www.falk-pli.com.

About IEDC
Created in 2005 to replace the former Department of Commerce, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation is governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence. Victor Smith serves as the Indiana Secretary of Commerce and Eric Doden is the president of the IEDC.

The IEDC oversees programs enacted by the General Assembly including tax credits, workforce training grants and public infrastructure assistance. All tax credits are performance-based. Therefore, companies must first invest in Indiana through job creation or capital investment before incentives are paid. A company who does not meet its full projections only receives a percentage of the incentives proportional to its actual investment. For more information about IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

Source: Indiana Economic Development Corp.

Richmond, Ind. — Maxwell Milling of Indiana, a division of Goldsboro Milling Company, will receive a $35,000 Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) grant from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wayne County for an expansion project. The company is located at 4359 State Road 1 near Hagerstown and processes grains and minerals for production of swine feed. The expansion project will include construction of a 24 by 70 foot receiving building with two 125,000 bushel grain storage bins. The company will also purchase various bin loading and unloading equipment. Maxwell Milling will invest $1.7 million in the project which will create five new, full-time equivalent jobs paying an average hourly wage of $16.35.

The expansion project will allow the company to increase production from 3,200 tons of finished feed per week to 5,000 tons per week. John Pike, Director of Operations for Goldsboro Milling Company says, “The company is happy to be able to expand more in the Indiana market to allow for growth of the Hagerstown plant.”

The project will also enable the company to increase the amount of grain purchased from Indiana farmers. Tracie Robinson, Chair of the EDC Board of Directors says the EDC is happy to be able to partner with Maxwell Milling of Indiana in their growth and continued success. “Existing businesses are vital to our economic strength and diversity and the EDC wants to help them remain strong and successful.:

This project meets the new EDIT guidelines put in place in March by Wayne County Commissioners and the EDC. The request for funds will now go before the Wayne County Commissioners for consideration.

About Maxwell Milling of Indiana
Maxwell Milling of Indiana, a division of Goldsboro Milling Company of Goldsboro, North Carolina, supplies feed and supplies to Maxwell Farms of Indiana company farms and grower owned operations. Maxwell Milling is a family owned swine feed production and feed delivery facility in which all finished feed is made and delivered in the state of Indiana. Maxwell Milling was established in Indiana in 2006.

Since January of 2009, the EDC of Wayne County through its EDIT fund has assisted 30 businesses in their commitment to the retention and creation of over 940 jobs. These projects have resulted in over $163 million in new, private investment in Wayne County. The county’s consolidated EDIT fund comes from funding provided by partnering towns in Wayne County who have agreed to provide a portion of their EDIT proceeds yearly for county-wide economic development. Partners in county-wide economic development currently include the towns of Cambridge City, Centerville, Economy, Hagerstown, Milton, Richmond and Wayne County.

Source: Economic Development Corp. of Wayne County

The beer industry contributes $3.3 billion annually to Indiana’s economy and is linked to 38,690 jobs in Indiana – accounting for $1.1 billion in wages and benefits, according to a recent economic study.

Jointly commissioned by the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer Institute, the study shows the American beer industry, made up of brewers, beer importers, beer distributors, brewer suppliers and retailers, also contributed to $456.3 million in the form of business, personal and consumption taxes in 2012.

“America’s beer industry continues to play a significant role in supporting the economy in each and every state, including Indiana,” said Tom Miller, CEO of MillerCoors and Beer Institute chairman. “From the 51 brewers employing 260 people to the roughly 10,654 licensed retailers, like supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, bars and stadiums – the beer industry is vital to local economics.”

George Douglas, general manager of Valparaiso-based Indiana Beverage, said the study has good information that benefits the industry when dealing with state legislators – many of whom are new in office.

“Without state-wide detail, it’s pretty hard to educate them without having the facts,” he said.

Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute, said the study’s numbers demonstrate the beer industry continues to create jobs and generate important domestic revenue in an otherwise struggling economy.

“For this reason, it’s important that state and federal officials consider equitable tax policies and avoid harming an industry that is so effectively aiding economic growth,” he said.

Drew Fox, founder of 18th Street Brewery, is currently contract-brewing in Chicago but looking to open a brewery and taproom in Gary later this year. Brewers like him are aware of a growth in the craft beer industry, and Fox believes cities like Gary should welcome breweries and give them the necessary tools to help them get zoning variances and understand the culture and culinary interest created by a local brewery.

“Smaller cities still don’t understand what a brewery and a taproom can bring to their community,” he said.
© Copyright 2013, nwitimes.com, Munster, IN

GARY, Ind. – Earlier today, Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and 4th District Councilwoman Carolyn Rogers announced the launch of the Neighborhood Revitalization Project, an initiative that has taken shape with the help of University of Chicago graduate students, the City of Gary department heads, the Gary Common Council and community volunteers.

“Since we announced our partnership with Mayor Daley and the University of Chicago last fall, a lot of work has taken place between the students and our administration,” said Freeman-Wilson. “Today’s project launch represents the fruit of their labor and it’s only the beginning.”

The packed room of community volunteers and city employees applauded as details were shared about the June 1 clean-up event in Gary’s Marshalltown neighborhood. The ultimate goal is for this pilot program to be duplicated in neighborhoods across the city.

PROJECT SUMMARY

The Initiative first identifies high-need Gary neighborhoods with an active group of residents before embarking on the following process:

-City officials identify and meet with community leaders (faith leaders, school administrators, block club heads, etc.) and set short and long-term goals.
-Community-wide meeting held to inform residents and solicit suggestions for goals.
-Residential outreach conducted to further gauge community need and recruit support.
-Community kick-off event held to launch revitalization efforts.
-City of Gary targets services at the relevant neighborhood during the next month.
-A follow-up community event is held to report on progress.
-Ongoing responsibilities for sustaining revitalization efforts are delegated.

OVERVIEW OF CITY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Short-term: Dumpsite removals, trash and debris pickups, abandoned building identification and board-ups, targeted beautification activities, information and resource provision for residents

Long-term: Increased levels of community engagement, increased community capacity to sustain pilot phase services, increased ability of residents to identify, prioritize and initiate new projects in collaboration with the City of Gary, more efficient and effective service provision by City departments.

PILOT PHASE

As the first stage in implementing the Neighborhood Revitalization Project citywide, the pilot phase in Marshalltown Terrace is vital in establishing a template that can be replicated in additional Gary neighborhoods while allowing for the flexibility to adapt to different community needs and capacities.

Lessons learned from this pilot phase will be incorporated and applied to additional neighborhoods as the plan is rolled out across the City of Gary over time.

311 Program gets phone line…

Mayor Freeman-Wilson also announced that the City of Gary 311 citizen’s responder program has expanded to have a phone line that citizens can call which is (219) 881-1311.

“We recognize that not everyone has or prefers to use a computer or smartphone to get their concerns and complaints registered, so we want to have ways in place for everyone to communicate with this administration,” said Freeman-Wilson.

Residents can also visit gary.in.us to file a complaint online or download the City of Gary 311 app and file claims from their smartphones.

City of Gary’s Mission

To serve the current and future citizens of Gary by providing a safe, clean and working city that continuously improves the quality of life of its residents and establishes Gary as a national model for urban revitalization.

City of Gary’s Vision

The City of Gary will be safe, smart, accessible, prosperous and green. City Hall will provide the citizens of Gary with effective and responsive service while maintaining high ethical standards and fiscal discipline.

Source: City of Gary

The company accepted the honor at the annual Construction Awards Banquet, hosted by NWIBRT and the Construction Advancement Foundation (CAF) at Avalon Manor in Merrillville.

The Contractor of the Year is chosen based on a variety of criteria, including safety, excellence in partnering and teamwork, quality in project management, innovation and uniqueness in construction techniques, sympathy for the environment and its surroundings, support for the community and supervisory training and education.

“Safety is a core value of our company and it’s something that we take very seriously,” said Dan Sopczak, Executive Vice President with Superior Construction.

The process of being named Contractor of the Year was exhaustive, according to Rick Foor, Chair of the NWIBRT Safety Committee.

“Five finalists were selected by the NWIBRT Member Companies based on an application evaluation, overall contributions to the safety culture in Northwest Indiana, and an open discussion among NWIBRT Member Companies,” Foor said. “These five finalists were then audited by a third party firm – Safety Management Group.”

The final audit reports, and the applications from the finalists, were then given to an independent panel of three judges who are professionals in the safety industry.

“The three judges indicated it was an extremely tight finish but they came to a unanimous decision,” Foor said.

Superior Construction has been in business for nearly a century. The company builds roads and bridges, and offers expertise throughout the Midwest in public works, municipal, industrial, heavy highway, petro-chemical and commercial projects.

Each contractor who meets the Excellence Award criteria is considered by NWIBRT for the Contractor of the Year Award.

The Excellence Award, which Superior Construction also received during the Construction Awards Banquet, is given to companies in recognition of accomplishing lower than average numbers for Days Away from Work (DAFW), Days Away, Restricted and Transferred (DART) and Total Recordable Incident Rate for three straight years.

CAF and NWIBRT organize the Construction Awards Banquet each year to recognize the significance of safety in the industry, and to praise companies for excellence and economic impact in Northwest Indiana. In total, NWIBRT presented 58 awards throughout the evening, recognizing the companies and individuals that exhibited the most outstanding safety practices throughout the year.

NWIBRT is an independent, non-profit council of local firms committed to the improvement of construction and maintenance projects in Northwest Indiana. Its purpose is to promote safety, quality and cost-effectiveness by all parties associated with the local area construction and maintenance industry.

CAF represents Northwest Indiana union contractors and works to promote the interest of the union construction industry through labor relations management, government relations, education, training, safety and workforce development.

Below is a list of NWIBRT Safety Awards that Superior Construction Company, Inc. received this year at the CAF/NWIBRT Construction Awards Banquet

• Contractor of the Year
• Excellence Award
• Roger Walters Award – Tom Owens, of Superior Construction

Photo above:

Superior Construction Company, Inc. took home an Excellence in Safety Award and the NWIBRT Contractor of the Year Award. Pictured are (l to r) Gary Wasemann, Tom Owens, NWIBRT Chairman Joe Coar, Dan Sopczak, Steve Fernandez, Ed Smith and Tricia Hanrath.

Government, education and industry leaders say today’s announcement of the planned $360 million Indiana Biosciences Research Institute will “change the bio-landscape” of the state. The public-private partnership will allow the state, life sciences companies and research universities to work in collaboration toward scientific advances and industry growth. Insiders describe the center as the “biggest thing yet” in the push to grow Indiana’s life sciences sector. BioCrossroads Chief Executive Officer David Johnson will discuss the major project this weekend on Inside INdiana Business Television.

Eli Lilly and Co. (NYSE: LLY) Senior Vice President Bart Peterson says the institute will “develop more intellectual capital” in Indiana and keep research dollars in the state.

BioCrossroads News Release

Indianapolis, Ind. — Indiana Governor Mike Pence joined Indiana-based global life sciences and research university executives today to unveil the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, the first industry-led collaborative life sciences research institute in the country.

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is a statewide public-private partnership advanced by BioCrossroads and led by Indiana’s life sciences industry, with support from the State of Indiana and partnerships with Indiana’s research universities to discover, develop and deliver biosciences innovations in Indiana. The Institute will serve as the centerpiece project of the BioCrossroads public-private collaboration through its attraction of world-class scientific leaders and life sciences research dollars to Indiana, while focusing on human health solutions for improving the lives of Hoosiers and people around the world.

“Indiana has built a life sciences ecosystem unlike any other state and faces a new season of opportunity as a result,” said Governor Pence. “The Institute will strengthen Indiana’s reputation as a global life sciences hub and produce breakthroughs that will attract new investment to our state and create good-paying jobs for Hoosiers.”

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is the result of leadership from industry executives from Eli Lilly and Company, Dow AgroSciences, Roche Diagnostics, Cook Medical, Indiana University Health and Biomet and the Governor of Indiana, with active support in initial development by BioCrossroads. Indiana’s research institutions, including Indiana University, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame also are participating in the development process.

“This Institute comes at a pivotal time in our state’s evolution as a global life sciences leader. With a bioscience sector that now contributes more than $50 billion a year to the Hoosier economy, Indiana is ranked by BIO and Battelle as one of the top five states in the nation in terms of our total number of life sciences companies and employees. Through the Institute, BioCrossroads believes we have found a bold way to raise our game in Indiana by building the platform that will truly take us to the next level of success,” said David Johnson, president and CEO of BioCrossroads, an organization focused on investment, development and advancement of the state’s signature life sciences strengths.

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is developing a novel operating model, with industry providing a major source of funding and defining the Institute’s research focus to optimize commercialization opportunities. The Institute also draws on a life sciences industry cluster that is one of the largest and most diverse in the nation, with global companies that are developing next-generation drugs and pharmaceuticals, diagnostics tests, medical devices, cell-based therapies, agricultural biotechnology and animal health and production solutions. This diversity of industry capabilities creates opportunities for Indiana-based life sciences companies to work in collaboration – not competition – toward common scientific discoveries.

“The research institute will change the bio-landscape of our region,” said Bart Peterson, senior vice president at Eli Lilly and Company. “Indiana’s life sciences companies spend billions of dollars in research and development each year to advance health care innovations for improved human health. The Institute will help us nurture our partnerships across the country and develop more intellectual capital here in Indiana – allowing us to keep more research dollars in the state, attract more federal research funds, and draw top scientific minds to feed our research pipeline and local economies.”

“Having the best talent and the best scientific minds is crucial for growing our life sciences industry cluster in Indiana,” said Steve Ferguson, chairman of Cook Group, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. “World-class scientific talent at the industry and academic level is one of the state’s most powerful economic development tools. Just as companies like Lilly and Cook Medical started as small, entrepreneurial operations, we expect the Institute to draw the best and the brightest to Indiana to further deepen our life sciences industry roots and grow more business opportunities.”

As part of the Institute development process, industry leaders have defined common scientific interests for research and discovery. The Institute will initially focus on the most pressing global and local interrelated human health issues: cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity and nutrition. These interrelated metabolic disorders are a major economic burden and a leading cause of death in the United States. Risk factors, such as high blood pressure and insulin resistance, allow for early disease detection, and timely preventive actions, such as through improved nutrition, and early intervention can slow or prevent the onset of disease. This is an important scientific discovery subject for the approximately 35 percent of Americans who suffer from cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders, and is a significant risk for Hoosiers who suffer disproportionally from these diseases.

“We have an opportunity to not only help millions of people around the world who are battling these metabolic disorders, but we can have significant impact on Hoosiers who suffer more than the average American from diabetes and who rank 8th in the nation in terms of obesity,” said Jack Phillips, president and CEO of Roche Diagnostics. “The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute will provide the platform to deliver significant scientific advancements that could improve Hoosier lives.”

“The ability to better understand metabolic disorders impacts the work of nearly every life sciences company in Indiana,” said Antonio Galindez, president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences. “Together, we can develop a deeper understanding of the pathways leading to metabolic disease and apply those discoveries to not only medical interventions, but also to greatly enhanced nutritional sources developed through advanced crop improvement technologies and other advancements in human health.”

“Patients and clinicians have much to gain by the success of this critically important new venture,” said Daniel F. Evans Jr., president and CEO of Indiana University Health. “The discoveries and inventions generated by the Institute will be used by our physicians to care for patients. To accelerate the pace of innovation from lab bench to patient bedside, we are pleased to make our healthcare system available to researchers to test potential new treatments and therapies.”

The estimated $360-million Indiana Biosciences Research Institute is a non-profit entity that is anticipated to be supported largely by corporate and philanthropic funding with oversight from a largely donor-based board of directors representing the life sciences industry, the state of Indiana, academia and nonprofit donors. The State of Indiana has appropriated $25 million for the biennium for start-up costs. An additional $25 million in start-up funding is being sought from industry and philanthropic sources, which will be used in part to recruit a nationally recognized CEO and research fellows. The remaining capital funding will be sought from corporate and philanthropic sources, and ongoing operating costs will be funded through Institute endowment proceeds, industry-sponsored research and federally funded research.

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute will attract local and national scientific leaders beginning with the CEO and the recruitment of research “Indiana Fellows.” These research fellows will lead teams of scientists and partner with industry and universities on research projects. These teams will consist of experts across a spectrum of competencies, including bioengineering, bioinformatics, nanotechnology and agriculture. These cross-functional teams will share resources and research laboratories at the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute and will work onsite at industry and research university labs with academic and industry scientists.

“As the scientific discovery process increases in complexity, more companies are looking outside their own walls for multi-disciplined team members to help move innovation forward, at a faster rate, in order to remain competitive in an increasingly global marketplace,” said Jon Serbousek, president, Biomet Biologics. “A cross-industry, statewide partnership focused on commercially translatable innovation on the cutting edge of basic and clinical science will help the state’s life sciences industry move to the next level.”

“The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute provides a new and exciting opportunity for our research universities to work with our statewide life sciences industry,” said Bill Stephan, vice president for engagement at Indiana University. “The Institute will bolster our ongoing efforts to recruit highly regarded local and national researchers and graduate students. We envision the dynamic of researchers from the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute working alongside researchers in industry or university labs, strengthening long-term collaborative research and funding opportunities.”

More information about the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute can be found at www.indianabiosciences.org.

About BioCrossroads
BioCrossroads (www.biocrossroads.com) is Indiana’s initiative to grow, advance and invest in the life sciences, a public private collaboration that supports the region’s existing research and corporate strengths while encouraging new business development. BioCrossroads provides money and support to life sciences businesses, launches new life sciences enterprises (Indiana Health Information Exchange, Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities, BioCrossroadsLINX, OrthoWorx and Datalys Center), expands collaboration and partnerships among Indiana’s life science institutions, promotes science education and markets Indiana’s life sciences industry.

Source: BioCrossroads