Affinia Group, Inc., a leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of on- and off- highway replacement parts and services, is leasing 157,500 sq. ft. of warehouse / distribution space in the LandMark Industrial Park, Belvidere.

The development features access via I-90/39, IL Rte. 20 and U.P. Rail and has approximately 97,500 sq. ft. of high-bay industrial space remaining for lease in addition to fully developed pad sites.

Information provided by Landmark Real Estate Group, Inc.

Growth Dimensions for Belvidere Boone County and the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Boone County Manufacturer's Appreciation Breakfast on March 5th in the Community Building Complex of Boone County, 111 W. 1st Street, Belvidere.

The event will include a presentation from the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center on how to Improve Manufacturing Productivity and Competitiveness through lean manufacturing.

Franklin Wire Works of Belvidere will also present their story of how the company successfully implemented the lean process into their manufacturing and business operations.

The breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. followed by the program at 8:00 a.m.

If you would like to attend, please call the Belvidere Chamber office at 815-544-4357 or Growth Dimensions at 815-547-4252 no later than February 27th.

Event sponsors include IMEC, Nicor and ComEd.

On March 11, 2008, Growth Dimensions will be hosting a Developer's Forum on the Growth Management Study recently completed for the City of Belvidere.

The forum is intended to provide the developer community with the basic information regarding the forms of analysis and findings of the Belvidere Growth Management Study conducted for the City of Belvidere by the Center for Governmental Studies/Regional Development Institute at Northern Illinois University (CGS). Although the Study contains a wide range of information that may be valuable for growth management in general, it focuses specifically on a primary element of growth management planning - development impact fees. Roger Dahlstrom, Senior Research Associate NIU - Center for Governmental Studies and author of the study will facilitate the forum along with City of Belvidere Department Heads.

The location of the forum is to be announced. Please contact Growth Dimensions at 815-547-4252 for more information or if you are interested in attending.

Mark your calendars: the Growth Dimensions' 2008 Annual Dinner, will take place on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008. The "May All Your Ice Cream Dreams Come True" event will feature Dean Foods and their valuable presence in northern Illinois through the years.

Ray Karam, the official "Taste Master" for Cold Stone Creamery will be the Keynote Speaker. Dean Foods produces all of Cold Stone's Grab-N-Go ice cream products.

The dinner will take place at the Community Building Complex of Boone County. We look forward to you joining our 2008 Annual Meeting Celebration.

Pictured above right: Tastemaster Ray Karam
Click here to read more about Mr. Karam.

Growth Dimensions would like to welcome NDK Crystal, Inc. as a gold member to the economic development organization.

NDK Crystal, Inc. is a manufacturing company of synthetic quartz crystal. The company was established in Belvidere in 2002, and started operation in 2003. NDK Crystal is a subsidiary company of Nihon Dempa Kogyo (NDK) in Tokyo, Japan.

Growth Dimensions thanks NDK for their continued support and valuable partnership.

An estimated 800 to 900 jobseekers attended the January 23rd Job Fair, sponsored by The Workforce Connection at the Community Building Complex in Belvidere. The nearly 70 exhibitors included more than 55 companies and about a dozen educational institutions and training organizations. The location and date of the event was designed in response to the news of upcoming layoffs at the Chrysler plant and its suppliers, but the job fair was open to the public.

The job fair followed a recent on-line employer survey of workforce needs. There were 44 responses to the survey with employers indicating a need to fill 400 to 500 new positions within the next twelve months. One of those companies participating in the survey, Hamilton Sundstrand, said they needed to hire more than 100 engineers.

Representatives of the Workforce Connection are following up with those companies indicating an interest in on-the-job, customized or incumbent worker training. The United Auto Workers held its own Job Fair in Belvidere on February 11th and the local Society of Human Resource Professionals is planning a job fair in conjunction with Cumulus Broadcasting on February 26th at the Hilton Garden Inn.

Pictured above right: Franklin Wire Display of Belvidere attends job fair.

The Board of Directors of the Illinois Technology Development Alliance (ITDA), a public-private 501(c) (3) nonprofit that builds high-growth technology companies, announces that John Noel has been named president effective immediately. Noel was previously ITDA vice president and program director. The ITDA is a partner with Growth Dimensions and with its AgTech Initiative.

"John is a proven leader who is respected and liked by the ITDA's clients, supporters, and staff," says Scott Glickson, partner at McGuire Woods, LLP and member of the ITDA board of directors. "He knows where the ITDA has been and has a vision for continuing the organization's measurable impact on the high technology economy of Illinois. Our board is very excited about John leading the ITDA into its next stage of helping start-up and intermediate companies commercialize their technologies."

Noel, who joined ITDA (then named The Illinois Coalition) in 2004 as vice president, has been serving as interim president. "I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue working with our clients, partners, the Board, and especially with my outstanding associates at the ITDA," Noel says.

In 2008, Noel says that the ITDA will expand the organization's leadership role in the technical community by building on partnerships and relationships with the other private and public sector organizations that support entrepreneurial activity in Illinois.

"We'll tell our clients that no organization performs well in a silo and that it's smart from a practical and strategic standpoint to collaborate wherever you can," Noel says. "We are taking our own advice to heart and building collaborative arrangements with the state and local agencies; colleges and universities, private equity sources, and trade organizations that do such an outstanding job of serving the entrepreneurs and young companies in the Midwest."

For more information on the ITDA, please visit www.itda.biz.

Pictured above right: John Noel

*Information provided by the ITDA

The Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce 93rd Annual Dinner will be held on Tuesday, March 11th at the Clock Tower Resort & Convention Center, 7801 E. State Street in Rockford.

This year's event program will feature Norb Ziemer, Director of Growth Dimensions' AgTech Initiative, as he presents on the topic of "Going Green ."

The event will begin with social hour at 6:00 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m.

For more information or to make your reservations, please call the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce office at 815-544-4357 by March 4th, 2008.

Pictured above right: Norb Ziemer

Corporate innovation guru Doug Hall will headline the Rockford Chamber's 2008 Manufacturing Dinner and Expo on March 12th at Cliffbreakers. In his keynote, Hall will present "Made in the USA-Choices for Growth," sharing his successful formula for helping manufacturers create new revenue streams by implementing measurably smarter growth choices.

Hall is founder of the Eureka! Ranch, an innovation think tank. He has spent 25 years creating and developing new ideas and products for such companies as American Express, Nike, Procter & Gamble, and Walt Disney. A self proclaimed "Business Robin Hood," Hall's personal mission is to take what has proven successful for large companies and transfer these methods to help America's smaller companies.

To register for the Annual Manufactures Appreciation Dinner visit rockfordcham ber.com or call 815.963.8123.

Pictured above right: Doug Hall