A DYNAMO IN THE DAIRY STATE City of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin FOCUSED ON BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Waseca County, Minnesota STICK-TO-YOUR-RIBS MEAT & DESSERTS - HOW ONE COMPANY EXPANDED & DIVERSIFIED DURING A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC Spartanburg Meat Processing Co., Inc. BUSINESSINFOCUSMAGAZINE.COM OC TO BE R 2 02 1 509 Washington Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Fire Extinguishers • Fire Extinguisher Training • Safety Equipment • Fire Suppression Systems • Access Control Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Fire Sprinklers • Backkow Inspections • Burglar Alarm Systems • Exit & Emergency Lighting • Security Cameras The Fire Safety Professionals Since 1962 509 Washington Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Fire Extinguishers • Fire Extinguisher Training • Safety Equipment • Fire Suppression Systems • Access Control Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Fire Sprinklers • Backkow Inspections • Burglar Alarm Systems • Exit & Emergency Lighting • Security Cameras The Fire Safety Professionals Since 1962EDITOR’S CORNER 509 Washington Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Fire Extinguishers • Fire Extinguisher Training • Safety Equipment • Fire Suppression Systems • Access Control Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Fire Sprinklers • Backkow Inspections • Burglar Alarm Systems • Exit & Emergency Lighting • Security Cameras The Fire Safety Professionals Since 1962 509 Washington Avenue Carlstadt, NJ 07072 • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Fire Extinguishers • Fire Extinguisher Training • Safety Equipment • Fire Suppression Systems • Access Control Systems • Fire Alarm Systems • Fire Sprinklers • Backkow Inspections • Burglar Alarm Systems • Exit & Emergency Lighting • Security Cameras The Fire Safety Professionals Since 1962 3 “The big lockdown of 2020 brought with it major changes in how businesses run and how people are managed.” That’s Pauline Müller, in this issue, saying a mouthful. The shift to remote work in such massive numbers was huge, and, “while many companies and their staff are getting on with business as usual now, for many others life may never return to its former normal at all,” writes Pauline. “What do we take away [from these experiences] and what do we ditch? And how has managing staff changed over the past year?” In Leading from Home – Managing a Remote Workforce, Pauline takes a deep dive into those questions. “Most business- es,” she finds, “appear to be taking more creative approaches to getting all hands back on deck.” Remote work has been shown to be a viable option for many, and the questions that remain center on how best to implement, support, and measure it. Other shifts in workplace culture have been observed as well, writes Pauline. In many workplaces, the pandemic has led to greater appreciation for one another’s work and personal cir- cumstances – to greater empathy, in short. The sense of all being in the same boat is fostering communication and trans- parency between workers and leadership, and has turned the spotlight on worker health and well-being. “It is against this dappled backdrop of hope and challenge that the new metrics for gauging employee performance in a remote workforce are developing,” writes Pauline: perhaps worker autonomy needn’t conflict with trust or productivity; perhaps solitude can foster creativity after all. We look forward to seeing how the workplace landscape – whether in or out of the office – continues to evolve in the months and years to come. Tim Hocken Editor Suite 300, 7071 Bayers Rd. | Halifax, NS | B3L 2C2 | Canada P: 1-647-479-2163 | E: EDITOR Tim Hocken DEPUTY EDITOR Jaime McKee COPY EDITORS Thora Smith | Allister Havercroft CONTRIBUTING WRITERS David Caldwell | Claire Suttles | Robert Hoshowsky Pauline Müller | Jessica Ferlaino | Jen Hocken CONTENT TEAM MANAGER Tom England SENIOR CONTENT MANAGER Brad Mike BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Erin Wells CONTENT MANAGERS Wendy Hood-Morris | Scott Forbes SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Luke Simms SALES TEAM Pamela Taylor | Kayla Brown | Morgan Culpepper PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Chantal De Brouwer OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Julia MacQueen GRAPHIC DESIGN MANAGER Severina Gachparova GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Laura Pratt | Ashley Dowling Ebic Tristary | Yoana Ilcheva REGIONAL DIRECTOR Adam Cameron OPERATIONS MANAGER Jonathan Fisher CONTROLLER Jen Hamilton PUBLISHER Jeff HockenINSIDE OCTOBER WORKFORCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOOD & BEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING 4 Managing a Remote Workforce It’s been more than a year since COVID-19 stepped on stage as the harbinger of a new normal, bringing a global shift toward working from home among other fundamental changes to our lives. But what will change, and what will “at work” mean for the future? 5 BUSINESS IN FOCUS SPACE TECH EXPO 6 – 8 October, Long Beach, CA Reconnect with the space supply chain at the industry’s premier exhibition and conference. Join more than 300 specialist suppliers at America’s leading showcase of space technology and services. The free-to-attend exhibition will showcase the very latest technology from technical designers, sub-systems suppliers, manufacturers and components through to systems integrators for civil, military and commercial space. For more information CMA SHIPPING 13 – 15 October, Stamford, CT Part of North American Shipping Week, CMA Shipping connects the North American shipping community worldwide. Focusing on bringing the industry together after the last two years, this year’s agenda will focus on the lessons learned and the opportunities that lie ahead as trade gets back on track with shipping leading the way. Enjoy presentations and panels across nine different tracks including The Human Element, Insurance, Greener Shipping, Bunkering, Legal & The Shipping Academy, as well as keynotes, shipping association panels and of course, the Commodore Debate. For more information SUPPLYSIDE WEST AND FOOD INGREDIENTS NORTH AMERICA 25 – 28 October, Las Vegas, NV Shape your product innovation at SupplySide West and Food ingredients North America. Connect with 700+ leading suppliers and service providers of ingredients, manufacturing services, packaging, lab services and more. Fi North America offers food and beverage manufacturers direct access to the widest range of ingredient suppliers from around the world, while SupplySide West brings together ingredient buyers and suppliers from the dietary supplement, beverage, functional food, personal care and sports nutrition industries to network and explore industry trends, scientific innovations, and top performing products. For more information or AVIATION WEEK NETWORK’S AEROSPACE INCUBATOR 1 – 4 November, Miami, FL As aerospace progresses through industry 4.0, challenges and opportunities will shift within the aviation industry. Join Aviation Week for a week of accelerating cutting-edge content, networking, and product demonstrations, looking at both Aerospace IT and Advanced Air Mobility. For more information CREATING A SUCCESSFUL JOB ROTATION PROGRAM – LIVE VIRTUAL TRAINING 2 – 4 November, online Companies struggle to hold onto their highly skilled talent and keep them from jumping ship. Job rotation is a concept that can keep desirable employees within the company, developing their skills to handle a variety of challenges. It’s the sort of on-the-job training that not only retains and refines an employee’s skills, but also prepares them for the eventual succession of senior staff or management. For more information visit: INDUSTRY EVENTS 6 Are you planning an event relating to North America’s growing Business Industry? To get your event listed in Business in Focus, please contact us at least six to eight weeks before the event takes place at or call 1-647-479-2163INDUSTRY NEWS AMAZON TO TEST BRICK AND MORTAR DEPARTMENT STORES CHINESE FIRM BUYS CANADIAN MRNA VACCINE TECH vaccine, which is currently in phase one trials in Canada, has no expected timeline for use, though phase two is expected to start later this year or next. Everest will pay US$100 million in cash upfront for access to the technology and up to US$100 million in profit sharing, as well as up to US$300 million in stock if further products are developed using the mRNA technology platform. Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Everest Medicine Ltd. will license Canada’s Providence Therapeutics Holdings Inc.’s COVID-19 vaccine technology as part of the country’s efforts to bring the most effective inoculation platform to its people. Everest will gain the rights to the vaccine technology in Greater China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand, where mRNA tech- nology is still in development. If approved, the vaccine will likely be used as a booster, given current vaccine rates. The Early reports indicate that Amazon.com Inc. has plans to open department stores, which is sending shockwaves through the retail landscape. The stores, which are expected to be around 30,000 square feet, will be smaller than typical stores but will make for a reasonable foray into the sector. While several physical locations are planned, the first stores are expected in Ohio and California. The locations will extend beyond Amazon Go locations, Whole Foods, and Kohl’s, offering more distribution points for the retailer. Shares of Target Corp. and Best Buy fell on the news, but recov- ered, as it is likely that the initial shock wore off. While it could eventually be disastrous for existing retailers, Amazon’s brick and mortar locations have not done as well as expected in the past. Only time will tell. 7INDUSTRY NEWS CARGILL THE LATEST TO LAUNCH REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PROGRAM GM BOLT OWNERS INSTRUCTED TO PARK 50 FEET AWAY FROM OTHERS Cargill is the latest to launch a regenerative agriculture program to improve soil health and environmental outcomes by better connecting farmers to the carbon marketplace, which will help to scale the voluntary adoption of regenera- tive agricultural practices. RegenConnect™ is a new program that Cargill is enrolling farmers in where they will receive payment for every ton of carbon sequestered. It is the goal of the program to improve yields, water quality, and soil resilience while decreasing emis- sions, meaning greater value and output. Farmers can imple- ment practices of their choosing this fall in preparation for the next growing season. Cargill partnered with carbon measurement firm Regrow to improve the ease of measuring, reporting, and verifying (MRV) carbon outcomes using in-field data, remote sensing and crop and soil health modelling. General Motors Corp. has issued another warning to Chevrolet Bolt owners. Owners are advised to park their Bolt electric vehicles at least 50 feet away from other vehicles and on the top, open floors of parking structures where possible, citing potential fire risks. The automaker previously advised Bolt owners to park outdoors and away from structures and to not charge them overnight. The warning has been extended to include not charging the vehicles unattended, even if using a charging station. To date, there have been reports of ten fires. A recall of 140,000 vehicles was issued so that the automaker could replace the battery modules. This recall came with a price tag of $1.8 billion and led to the shutdown of its Orion plant in Michigan where a battery pack shortage related to the recall was ongoing. GM is seeking reimbursement from its battery supplier LG and will not resume activity at the plant until it is satisfied the issue has been remedied. 8INDUSTRY NEWS REDWOOD TO INVEST IN U.S. BATTERY RECYCLING FACILITY SEMICONDUCTOR CHIP SHORTAGE A NIGHTMARE FOR GM General Motors Corp. had to temporarily halt production at many of its U.S. assembly plants due to an ongoing semi- conductor chip shortage that has been caused by COVID. While some production lines have come to a stop, others will continue. Some vehicles will be manufactured completely while others will be built without complete features until the parts become available. Plants that will remain open are its Arlington Assembly plant in Texas, where it makes its highly profitable full-size SUV; the Flint, Michigan facility where it makes its heavy-duty pickups; Bowling Green Assembly in Kentucky, where the Corvette is assembled; and a portion of the Lansing, Michigan Grand River assembly plant, where the Camaro and Cadillac Blackwing are assembled. Activity will also continue at its Fort Wayne, Indiana assembly plant and its Silao assembly plant in Mexico, responsible for manufacturing its light-duty full-size pickups. Each of the affected plants will reopen according to a staggered schedule throughout September as supply issues are ironed out. Redwood Materials, which is headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, has plans to build a battery production plant in the U.S. that will be valued at more than $1 billion. The site is expected to be announced early next year, at which point construction will begin. The plan is to take recycled batteries from electronics that are processed at its in-progress battery recycling sites to produce cathode active materials and anode foil, necessary for electric vehicle production. The closed loop process will enable Redwood to reuse all the critical lithium, copper, nickel, and cobalt recovered from old batteries. According to reports, 6,100 recycled iPhone batter- ies will supply enough lithium for one Tesla Model Y and 166 iPhones can supply enough cobalt. 9Next >