Manufacturer Learns to Access Iowa & National Resources

by Dan Meyer, CIRAS

Two years ago, Astoria of Iowa decided to locate its new manufacturing firm in Chariton. Their start-up was accomplished with the assistance of the Indian Hills Small Business Development Center, the Area XV Regional Planning Commission, the Resource Conservation and Development group of Centerville, and Chariton officials.  Astoria is a utility truck body manufacturing facility that planned to employ up to 40 people when fully operational.   The field agent called on the firm a week before the owner/manager arrived and provided information on some new job training programs available through Indian Hills Community College.  He also illustrated the ease of accessing Iowa's and the National Laboratories' resources through his local CIRAS/IMTC field agent.

During a get-acquainted visit with the owner, the firm agreed to initiate two projects.   The first project involved an investigation of the quality design of a component and locating firms to manufacture some required parts.  This project was successfully completed in a few days.  The second project matched Astoria with one of Iowa State University's senior design classes for work on a future product the firm was considering.   This project evolved into a stress analysis study by a professor from the ISU Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics.  This resulted in improved product quality and the firm's credibility and confidence in selling its products.

Completion of a needs assessment by the CIRAS/IMTC field agent led Astoria to two additional Iowa resources.  The Iowa Demonstration Lab from the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation determined a system of evaluating and controlling the thickness of in-process materials.  The successful completion of this effort let Astoria to yet another Iowa resource.  University of Northern Iowa's Plastics Technology Center determined the modulus of elasticity and impact resistance of different samples of their finished materials.  According to Astoria, the work of these two resources enabled them to obtain some new larger customers, substantially increasing their business prospects.

In early 1997, an Astoria representative attended a presentation of technologies available for licensing from ISU's Center for Advanced Technology Development.  The event, staged by a field agent at the Southeast Iowa Center in Ottumwa, led to two more projects.  One of the projects involved working with an ISU inventor to use an improved mold release compound which is expected to save time, improve surface finish, and lengthen mold life.  The other project involved work with a visiting Russian professor and his invention of incorporating ceramic powders into resin to increase corner strength and to eliminate voids in the fiberglass structures.

Astoria's human resource person is now networking with the Iowa Workforce Development Center, with Indian Hills Community College on worker safety issues, and UNI's Waste Reduction Center on EPA/DNR air emissions and water runoff regulations.  Astoria has learned how to access Iowa's readily available resources.  Now whenever a new project opportunity arises, no one can forecast how far the resulting waves will spread in helping this or any firm grow and prosper.  Astoria of Iowa no employs over 50 people and is still growing.

CIRAS News, Vol. 32, No. 2, Winter 1998

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