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EDSR INFORMATION #1 10-13-2003 TechTrends e-Newsletter I October 2003 Page 1 of 4 .. 31, ` i , t° I 14.V r Print Close ;FORMA h' 0i Trr u a publication of I 1 T rvInnesakolnilegy,Inc,9 1 re n dS Volume 4,_._. Issue 7 October 2003 y, Cover Story Destination: Central Europe Governor's trade mission looks to unlock key emerging markets. This November, Minnesota Governor Pawlenty and a delegation of 20 to 30 business leaders and state government officials will embark on a seven-day trade mission to Poland and the Czech Republic. 0 The mission, which is scheduled for November 15-21, will focus on connecting Minnesota business leaders from the IT and environmental industries with qualified business partners in Poland and the Czech Republic. Plans call for the trip to include briefings by local experts on market opportunities, one-on-one business III 4 matchmaking meetings to partner Minnesota companies with Polish and Czech businesses, and a variety of networking events. In addition, the delegation will participate in high-level economic and industry briefings with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and Polish and Czech officials. According to Elaine Bliss, director of the Minnesota Trade Office, the mission's goal is to position Minnesota to take advantage of key emerging markets in Central Europe. "One area where we feel we can be of the most value to small and medium- sized companies is in helping them get into markets where the entry path isn't always crystal clear," she says. "There are some amazing growth trends happening right now in Central Europe, and there's certainly plenty of potential for Minnesota businesses. But getting into those markets isn't always as easy as it would be when dealing with a more established country such as France. We feel that the trade mission will help open some doors and help Minnesota businesses take advantage of these emerging opportunities." For more information on the trade mission, go to I http://www.exportminnesota.com/03Europe-tasp or contact Tim Odegard at tim.odegarditstate.mn.us or 651-297-4650. While the formal application deadline has passed, there are still some slots available for the mission. 4 F TechNotes Technology business news from around Minnesota. ATEK Manufacturing, a Brainerd-based contract manufacturing and assembly firm, 1111 4, recently completed an acquisition of Acrometal, a Brainerd maker of sporting rifles and specialty products. Acrometal will become a division of ATEK and will specialize in firearm assembly, stamping, and other metalworking capabilities. According to http://www.minnesotatechnology.org/publications/techtrends/2003/October/printVersion.asp 9/29/2003 TechTrends e-Newsletter I October 2003 Page 2 of 4 the company, the combined operation will have about 300 employees. III Mankato-based Midwest Wireless recently purchased the wireless Internet network of United Farmers Coop (UFC). The network encompasses 13 central Minnesota communities and the areas surrounding them. Towns included in the area are: Arlington, Green Isle, Gibbon, Hanska, Klossner, Lafayette, Le Sueur, New Ulm, Norseland, St. George, Traverse, Webster, and Winthrop. The two companies are also currently in the midst of negotiations that would result in Midwest Wireless acquiring UFC's wireless Internet network and customers in a number of other communities. Electrolux Home Products recently named Ron McCoy general manager of its St. Cloud freezer plant. McCoy most recently worked for Borg Warner Automotive in Muncie, Ind. i Advanced Lighting Systems Inc., a Sauk Centre manufacturer of fiber optic lighting equipment, has completed the design and manufacture of a fiber optic lighting system installed in the main rotunda of the National Archives in Washington, D.C.. The system will illuminate a number of documents, including the original U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Mankato City Council is considering five areas to include in the JOBZ outstate '" economic development program pushed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The development program aims to create up to 11 tax-free zones outside the metropolitan area, with a goal of spurring job growth outside the Twin Cities. 3 Ideal Aerosmith inc., an East Grand Forks firm that makes moving tables or III platforms for equipment testing, has received a contract to provide a simulation system for the U.S. Army. As part of the project, the company will make platforms that can simulate a helicopter's movements,which will allow the Army to test weapons targeting systems. Panther Precision Machine, a Ramsey company that manufactures and assembles components for the food processing industry, recently received a $95,000 grant from the State of Minnesota. The grant, which was administered through the Department of Employment and Economic Development, will be used for used for the purchase of machinery and equipment for Panther's newly built facility. Cincinnati-based Milacron Inc. recently sold its Minnesota Twist Drill business to MTD Acquisition Inc., a company that includes several employees of Minnesota Twist Drill along with a private investment group. The Chisholm-based company manufactures drills for wood and soft-metal applications. The Rochester Area Quality Council recently announced that it will give out a new award in honor of Karl Shurson, a Pemstar cofounder and executive vice president who died in 2002. The annual award will recognize an individual or an organization that champions continuous quality improvement and performance excellence. Representatives from Fibrominn LLC, which is building a 50-megawatt, turkey litter- powered power plant in Benson, recently met with community representatives. According to the company, construction on the plant is on track to begin this fall. 0 i The Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative of Bemidji recently began construction on a new telecommunications network in Cohasset. The Connect Cohasset Project will install a fiber optic network capable of offering telephone, high-speed Internet, and digital television services to locations within the project. http://www.minnesotatechnology.org/publications/techtrends/2003/October/printVersion.asp 9/29/2003 TechTrends e-Newsletter I October 2003 Page 3 of 4 The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2005. i III g Calendar 1 Oct. 23, 2003 Tekne Awards Minnesota's technology industry's awards gala, Minneapolis Sponsored by Minnesota Technology, Inc. and the Minnesota High Tech Association www.tekneawards.org Oct. 29, 2003 Tekne Awards Minnesota Technology, Inc. Technology Awareness Forum, St. Paul Topic: Portable Power-Micro Fuel Cell Applications www.minnesotatechnology.org/events/TechForums/index.asp OPerspective Help At Hand Want more information on smart Web marketing? The Internet has a wealth of information on the topic. Here are three sites worth checking out: • Searchenginewatch.com. Offers tips and information about searching the Web, search engine industry analysis, and help for site owners trying to improve their ability to be found by search engines. • • Google. Offers plenty of information on how to get your company front and center on search engine queries. • Bruceclay.com. Provides how to-type advice, tools, links, and services for I anyone looking to build, optimize, and promote a Web site. For a more personalized, fully customized approach, consider MTI's Internet Technology/E-Business services, which offer a range of IT e-business help, including Web site analysis, Internet strategy development, and competitive Internet intelligence. The team has worked with a wide range of state manufacturing and technology companies to help them ramp up their Web efforts. A few examples include: • Northwoods DNA Inc., Becida • JNB Originals, Tracy • T.H.E. Machine, Glenwood • V-Tek Inc., Mankato • K&M Manufacturing, Renville 1 • Akkerman Inc., Brownsdale For more information on MTI's Internet Technology/E-Business Team, go to www.minnesotatechnology.org/business/IT ebusiness.asp, or call 612/373-2900, 800-325-3073. Get Net Smart r In the space of a few years, the business-related Internet usage has grown from an 10 „ 1 overhyped novelty into a serious business tool. Used correctly, the Web can help companies reach potential customers, enhance sales, penetrate new markets, lower operations costs, and improve supply-chain efficiency. The operative phrase, http://www.minnesotatechnology.org/publications/techtrends/2003/October/printVersion.asp 9/29/2003 TechTrends e-Newsletter I October 2003 Page 4 of 4 however, is "used correctly." Many companies still fail to capitalize on the Internet's full capabilities. IIII 1 According to Craig Berdie, an MTI e-business specialist, Web-marketing related mistakes often take similar forms. "There are a lot of sites out there that are essentially poorly done brochures-they look like they were designed by the boss's nephew and haven't been touched for several years," he says. "At the same time, we also see sites that look good, but which don't take advantage of the Web as a marketing tool. They haven't been optimized to allow search engines to find them, for example. Or else they feature a lot of information on a company's history, but relatively little about their products and services (which is, after all, why customers f'X' oaff are probably visiting the site in the first place). " . As Berdie also notes, the bottom line is that far too many companies fail to integrate their Web sites into their overall business strategies. "They'll put up a site with unclear goals, no targets, and no measures of success," he adds. "As with any other process, you need to articulate measurable goals for the site and consider how it fits into your overall business strategy." i 0 i a Nisr INetwork MEP Affiliate • Home I Contact Us I Site Map I Privacy Policy I Terms of Use © 1994-2003, Minnesota Technology, Inc., All rights reserved webmaster©mntech.org PHONE: 612-373-2900 FAX: 612-373-2901 • http://www.minnesotatechnology.org/publications/techtrends/2003/October/printVersion.asp 9/29/2003