EDPA NewsFlash

 

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Here is today's summary of economic development news, a free service of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, representing Alabama's private sector investment in economic development.  If you enjoy NewsFlash, thank an EDPA Partner. 

 

In this issue:
Honda names new company president.
North Alabama Small Businesses Get Big Boost from SLS Adapte
Elba: Small Alabama town sets sights on growth
Lockheed tech lets U.S. Apache helicopter pilots aim in color
China trip eye opening for Dothan delegation

 

Honda names new company president
Feb 25, 2014  | 

LINCOLN - Honda Manufacturing of Alabama LLC announced Monday that Jeff Tomko will assume the role of company president effective April 1.

Currently, Tomko holds the title of senior vice president at HMA and serves as an Operation Leader in charge of all vehicle and engine production at the $2 billion facility.

He replaces current HMA President Tom Shoupe, who will take the positions of executive vice president and chief operating officer at Honda of America Mfg. Inc.

Tomko will be responsible for total HMA operations in his new position.

more...

 

 


North Alabama Small Businesses Get Big Boost from SLS Adapter Program

 by Beth Jett

Feb. 24, 2014

 

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) - This week, Marshall Space Flight Center will host its first Small Business Alliance meeting of the new year.

 

About 450 representatives of large and small businesses will be at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to talk about opportunities for work coming up to support Marshall.

 

Already, Marshall is making a big difference for small businesses supporting the Space Launch System project.

North Alabama engineers are putting together another key piece of the Space Launch System.

 

Teledyne Brown Engineering secured a $60 million contract with NASA to build the Launch Vehicle Stages Adapter, which connects the Orion capsule to the core stage.

 

"It electrically connects the two so that they can command and control back and forth," said Dan Jett, project manager for the LVSA program.  "Then it also protects the delicate avionics that are in the propulsion system from the severe launch environments."

 

As it turns out, the adapter is also protecting small businesses around north Alabama.

The project means a big boost to at least seven small companies, allowing them to expand their work force and expertise.

 

 

more...

 

[WHNT]

 

 

 

Elba: Small Alabama town sets sights on growth

By Gerri Miller

Feb. 24, 2014

 

ELBA, Alabama - In this small town in south Alabama's Coffee County, companies and people are doing big things.

 

Take INZI Controls, a South Korea-based manufacturer of injection and blow molded automotive parts that supplies the Hyundai automotive manufacturing facility in Montgomery.  Since 2009, the company has grown to employ more than 220 people at its Elba facility, and it will add 30 more workers with a planned expansion in 2014.

 

Koo-Ryong Jung, chairman of INZI Controls, said from the first, everyone in this town of nearly 4,000 residents has whole-heartedly welcomed the company. "During the past years, I have been very impressed with the support from the community as well as the work skills and work ethic of the people," he said.



 more...

 

 

 

 

 Lockheed tech lets U.S. Apache helicopter pilots aim in color

Andrea Shalal-Esa
Reuters

February 19, 2014


HUNTSVILLE, Alabama (Reuters) - The U.S. Army has unveiled new technology that will for the first time allow AH-64 Apache helicopter pilots to see targeting and surveillance data in full, high-resolution color, instead of the fuzzy black and white images they get now.

An Army official said new sensors developed by Lockheed Martin Corp over the past four years could help avoid mistakes such as the 2007 attack by two U.S. Apache helicopters that killed 12 people in Baghdad, including two Reuters news staff, after they were mistaken for armed insurgents.

U.S. Central Command has said an investigation of the incident found that U.S. forces were not aware of the presence of the news staffers and believed a camera held by one of the men was a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

 

more...

 

[Chicago Tribune]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


China trip eye opening for Dothan delegation

By Ken Tuck Special to the Eagle

Feb. 24, 2014

 

SHUNDE, China - A delegation from Dothan currently touring China with the SoZo Group all say basically the same thing about their visit.

 

"This is nothing like I thought China would be," Dothan businessman Bob Woodall said.

 

Woodall, Bob Theune, Keith Givens and Chase Givens are traveling with Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz to tour China and visit with Chinese business owners and leaders and with government officials.

 

This is Schmitz's fourth trip to China, but this time a Dothan contingent is here to examine for themselves what Schmitz has been saying for the past two years about the vast opportunities for job creation through Chinese manufacturers expanding in the U.S.


 

more...

 

[Dothan Eagle]

 

 

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Enjoy the day, 

Val Walton
   
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