GPMN Meeting: The Greater Peoria Manufacturing Network (GPMN) held its first meeting of the year last Thursday at Distillery Labs. The program included presentations by two Greater Peoria companies. First, Mike Wolf and Don Forrest from the Farnsworth Group provided the attendees with information about the “New Trends in Manufacturing.” Following that, Dan Gannaway, Director of Sales and Marketing for Jtec, a material handling equipment manufacturer in East Peoria, presented information on the company’s history and product line. The program was followed by great networking and a lively exchange of ideas. If you want more information on the GP Manufacturing Network, drop me a line and I’ll put you in touch with its director, Dick Peplow.
Hispanic Chamber Partnership: We had a full house for a seminar co-hosted by the Greater Peoria Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and GPEDC. The topic was a new state grant – the Small Business Capital and Infrastructure Grant Program. The grant will award between $10,000 and $245,000 to small businesses (less than 25 employees) owned by economically disadvantaged individuals or “very small businesses” (less than 10 employees) in low income urban and rural areas. The grant can only be used for “capital expenditures” like building acquisition, renovation or equipment purchase. Over 30 people gathered at Distillery Labs last night to hear from representatives from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Reading and understanding an on-line Notice of Funding Opportunity isn’t for the faint of heart, and small business owners don’t often have the time to fully explore these programs. Events like this provide outreach and technical assistance to an important constituency. If you want more information on this grant, let me know.
Peoria is Plant Based: When you think of the Greater Peoria economy, you often think of the manufacturing and healthcare industries. And we all know that we are a center for agriculture. But we just don’t grow things in Greater Peoria – we turn the things we grow into other things. That’s why we are excited to showcase our region’s bona fides as a center of bioprocessing in our new industry profile: Peoria Is Plant Based. This section of our website highlights the great companies that call Greater Peoria home, from Alto Ingredients in Pekin to NFW in Peoria, as well as first-class resources like our Ag Lab. This is a growing industry, particularly as consumers and companies look for alternatives to petroleum-based products. We’ve mailed postcards highlighting this new industry profile to our mailing list of nearly 200 domestic site selectors.
AgTech Connect: Speaking of agriculture and technology, don’t forget to register for the next AgTech Connect event. This quarterly gathering of innovators, farmers, and agricultural experts will take place on Tuesday, February 18, at 10 am at the Ag Lab in Peoria. Hosted by the USDA, the agenda includes speakers from the Illinois Soy Innovation Center, NFW and highlights ongoing efforts to advance sustainable, bio-based products. Please register by clicking here.
Have a great weekend.
Chris