Brokers International Ltd. for the fourth year in a row has made it into the top three of the Best Places To Work Survey by the Des Moines Business Record.
 
Brokers International provides their associates with fresh fruit to complement an on-site gym and the business's efforts to promote physical well-being by hiring a trainer who leads workout classes throughout the week.  The fitness initiative is important for the nearly 100 employees, because a majority of their time is spent on the phone training and helping the more than 35,000 licensed insurance professionals the company works with nationwide.

Plastics manufacturer Schafer Solutions recently began operations in Adair, looking to create sustainable products by utilizing bioplastics, biopolymers, and recycling options.  The company is a spawn of Owner Revolution of Adair, which operates several different manufacturing divisions of plastics, including Schafer Systems, also of Adair (see photo), which has a 90% market share in producing plastic lottery dispensers in Iowa.
  
Business manager Bud Karachwala is Schafer Solutions' only employee at this point; however, as the company develops and creates product prototypes that reach the marketplace, he anticipates needing to hire several more.  
 
Bud says he's working with ad agencies to promote the company's products to retail and convenience stores in Iowa and nationwide.  He also applauds Adair's quick and easy access to the Des Moines metro for conducting business.

Management at the Greenfield ink manufacturer CR\T, a subsidiary of national printer Quad/Graphics, hopes the company's recent acquisition of World Color Press will mean an increase in production in the near future.  The acquisition was finalized in early July, and the company began public trading on July 6th to help finance the move.  Pictured is Quad/Graphics Chairman, President & CEO Joel Quadracci, joined by board members, company executives, and family members, ringing the opening bell on the New York Stock Exchange the day the company went public (listed as QUAD).  The "New Quad" is now the second-largest provider of print and related multichannel solutions in the Americas with annual sales of $4.8 billion.

In the last couple of months, Midwest Partnership EDC was in touch with 20 existing primary companies looking at growing their business in the region, as well as an additional 23 companies considering the region as a destination for a business expansion, consolidation or relocation.  Another six small or small startup entrepreneurial businesses were aided by Midwest Partnership EDC staff efforts as well.
 
The nature of these projects is diverse.  Most of the companies looking to grow in the region are manufacturing or agribusiness companies.  Companies inquiring about expanding or moving into the area can be described as manufacturers, renewables and biorefineries, and some related to business/financial services and hospitality.  Eight leads were received from the Iowa Department of Economic Development in the last few months, and two from the Iowa Area Development Group.
 
The region's resurgence is showing as the area's unemployment rate is declining.  Fewer people are looking for work now than in any month since November.  The collective unemployment rate of the four Midwest Partnership EDC counties stands at 6.2 percent as of May 2010.  This rate is lower than the Iowa unemployment rate of 6.8 percent, and the U.S. rate of 9.7 percent.