Aug 27, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, IN has been named one of the country’s top hospitals for the second year in a row.
Schneck has been included on Becker’s Hospital Review’s top 100 hospitals for 2013 after first being named to the list in 2012.
The review said the 100 hospitals “have a special place in the story of American health care and have demonstrated greatness through clinical accolades, innovation in care delivery, recent capital developments and the offering of new services, specialty programs or technology.”
Schneck is one of only three Indiana hospitals on the list, including Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital and St. Vincent Hospital, both in Indianapolis.
Schneck was the first business of any kind in Indiana to receive a national Malcomb Baldrige National Quality Award for excellence, earning the award in 2011. Among Schneck’s recent innovations are the use of the daVinci surgical robotics and simulation labs.
More information can be found at The Tribune online edition, April 9, 2013, and the Schneck Medical Center website at www.schneckmed.org.
Aug 23, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Cummins engines to back up Schneck Medical Center operations
Cummins – Seymour Engine Plant workers recently built two 30-liter diesel-powered engines on which more than their livelihoods might depend. The engines could help save their lives someday.
The QST30 engines soon will be place in power generation sets that will power the emergency electrical needs at Schneck Medical Center just a couple of miles away in Seymour, IN.
First, though, those two engines will be shipped to Fridley, MN, where another division of Cummins Inc. will attach then to power generation sets. They’ll then make their way back to the Seymour hospital. They’ll replace two smaller power generators, also equipped with Cummins diesel engines.
The QST30 engines are larger however, and will provide Schneck with enough energy to power all of the hospital’s medical needs and keep things cool if a power outage occurs during the summer. That’s true even if one fails or needs to be taken down for maintenance.
“Right now, the generators can’t supply all of our needs and run the air conditioning units. These new sets can,” Jason Fee said. He is the hospital’s director of facilities. The old generators are less efficient, too, and replacement parts are becoming more difficult to find, Fee said.
Fee, Schneck Chief Executive Officer Gary Meyer and other hospital employees recently toured Seymour Engine Plant and had an opportunity to see one of its two engines being built on the assembly line. A second was being prepared for testing.
“They’re critical for us and will serve our community – the community of the people making these engines – well,” Meyer said following the tour.
“Our workers will know exactly what they’ve built, where it is and what they’re being used for,” Seymour Engine Plant Managing Engineer Director Darren Kimmel said. Workers rarely have any idea what their work powers let alone have an opportunity to see the engines in service.
Meyer said the workers’ labor and end products are critical to the hospital functioning in the case of an emergency. He suggested that plant workers be invited to see the power generation sets and engines in action once they’re installed at the hospital.
The units will provide much more than lighting. “They are essential for patient and employee safety,” Fee said. “It’s not just lights, although the hospital would get very dark inside without electricity. But there are also procedures that are performed every day in the hospital. We can’t lose power during those procedures.”
Fee said it’s rare for the hospital to lose power, in part because it has two electrical feeds from Duke Energy. “If someone hits a utility pole in the neighborhood that knocks out power, the second feed automatically kicks in,” he said. “It’s very rare that the generators have to run because we don’t have electricity, but we can’t run that risk.”
Installation will see construction of a metal enclosure in the area of the cancer center to house the generator sets, Fee said. Underground lines will carry electricity from the generators to the main hospital building.
The generators will be tested monthly, and also occasionally fire up when Duke asks for a power share, Fee said. That helps test the generators, keeps stored diesel fuel from going stale and helps keep their power costs down for everyone by sharing electricity with Duke during peak demand periods, he added.
For more on this story, see The Tribune 8.23.13
Aug 16, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation held its annual reception/meeting on August 15. At its Reports, Reviews & Rewards Luncheon, executive director Jim Plump shared that Jackson County companies have brought industrial investment to the county at a record pace.
Promised investments through July 31 totaled $179 million, well above last year’s record of $159 million. Promised investments from January of 2012 through July of this year total $338 million and are comprised of 19 projects.
Along with the investment, new jobs are being created, Plump said. Based on current job reports, industrial employment totaled 9,175 workers as of July 31, up from 8,155 last year and 7,419 in 2009.
The projects announced over the last 19 months include a mix of new projects and expansions of existing industrial sites.
“Our outstanding corporate family of business and industry drive economic development,” Plump said. “Our staff certainly works to assist, support and influence these business decisions. It is a combination that works and we pledge to continue this important work with your ongoing support.”
Source: The Tribune 8.16.13
Aug 2, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Crothersville 8.2.13
Aisin Chemical Indiana LLC held a plant expansion ceremony for their $5.125 million project.
ACIN General Manager Tim Carter said the expansion would add 5 jobs to the company’s present workforce of 43 and there could be more jobs added in the coming years.
“Our customers have seen increased sales, and our business has grown dramatically,” Carter said.
ACIN makes friction material components used in automatic transmissions and liquid applied sound dampening material used in vehicles to lower noise and vibration.
Source: The Tribune, 8.2.13
Jun 20, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Officials will receive assistance developing Seymour’s East Side Industrial Park thanks to Duke Energy.
A 100-acre site was one of five properties selected by Duke for its 2013 Site Readiness Program. Duke hired Greenville, SC-based consulting firm McCallum Sweeney to study most of the properties this summer, including Seymour’s, and determine ways to improve the areas.
The city is already focused on that area, Mayor Craig Luedeman said. He welcomes the additional attention and marketing efforts. “We’re improving access to that area now,” he said.
This fall, Duke plans to provide officials with completed findings. The program provide the county with technical assistance to ensure sites in the park are “shovel-ready” for potential construction.
Misty McCammack, economic development specialist for Duke said the program is part of Duke’s goal to help its communities become more competitive for potential jobs and development. “The sites we’ve chosen are the ones we felt already had a good start,” she said.
Apr 27, 2013 | Jackson County News & Info
Aisin USA Manufacturing in Seymour, Indiana plans to hire an additional 57 employees over the next two years as it expands production at its two Seymour plants.
The Japanese-based company – which opened its first U.S. manufacturing operation in the city a quarter-century ago – was granted two 10-year tax abatements for new production machinery and equipment.
Aisin Plant 1 will invest $7.8 million and add 43 employees to assist with the production for Toyota Camry, Sienna and Highlander vehicles.
Plant 2 will invest $3.2 million and add 14 employees for work on the Camry and Highlander.
Aisin Chemical in Crothersville also recently received tax abatement on their $5.4 million investment.
Aisin USA and Aisin Chemical, along with Aisin Drivetrain in Crothersville, are part of the Aisin Holdings of America companies.
