July 29, 2020 – 

Nathanial Hagedorn was an energetic entrepreneur in 2012 when he founded NorthPoint Development in Kansas City, Missouri. In short order, the management team moved to the fast lane.

Between mid-June 2015 and mid-June 2020, the privately held real estate development firm built more industrial space than any other developer nationwide, according to Real Capital Analytics.

“It’s pretty unbelievable,” says Brent Miles, chief marketing officer and a founding partner. “We started with one building, and now we own about 76 million square feet across the country.”

The firm owes its achievements to its culture, Miles maintains.

“We live by our core values,” he says. “Anything can happen when you do the right thing and empower your people.”

The company motto is “Beyond the Contract” as NorthPoint is dedicated to honoring relationships and employing the Golden Rule. But NorthPoint’s growth also comes from the ability to spot trends and develop in strategic locations, including Delaware.

The Delaware Logistics Center is currently under construction near Delaware City. Dart Container Corp — the Michigan-based manufacturer of the famous Solo cup — is moving East Coast distribution to the site.

NorthPoint, which is the fastest-growing industrial development firm in the nation, primarily owns the structures that it builds. “We have a long-term view of real estate,” Miles explains.

To realize that vision, the firm applies an engineering, technical and data-driven approach to development. Employees include data scientists, as well as civil, geotechnical, electrical, industrial and computer engineers.

It’s not unusual for NorthPoint to purchase sites requiring environmental remediation, as long as they meet the company’s layout, logistics and labor requirements. “We have a park that’s going to have a couple thousand employees,” Miles notes. “Will our tenants be able to hire people?”

For instance, although a portion of the 190-acre parcel NorthPoint bought near Delaware City in 2019 had been occupied by Stauffer Chemical, this location offers quick access to major transportation arteries and is within minutes from Philadelphia, Maryland and New Jersey. As a result, tenants will have access to a ready talent pool.

NorthPoint, which is new to Delaware, also wants sites that can accommodate the center’s planned layout. The company wants to feel welcomed as well.

“It’s been a great experience right off the bat (in Delaware),” he says, noting that the state’s small size has been an advantage. NorthPoint is a hands-on company, he adds, and the Delaware decisionmakers involved in development have the same attribute.

Keeping a Keen Eye on the Market

The Delaware Logistics Center represents a trend in industrial development driven by ecommerce. Admittedly, the momentum began before the coronavirus pandemic. But the need has only increased as more consumers shop online during virus-related shutdowns.

Before the pandemic, ecommerce and traditional companies followed the just-in-time system, which limits the amount of capital invested in warehoused goods and supplies. According to Miles, that’s changing.

“I would say the just-in-time approach is going to be replaced by just-in-case,” he says.

The need for a streamlined, accessible pipeline may increase domestic manufacturing, he says. “We haven’t seen it yet, but that’s the conversation we’re having in industrial real estate.”

NorthPoint is nearing the completion of one building, and it is going forward with another so that a tenant could move in by Jan. 1, 2021. Tenants can customize the space themselves in the future should the need arise.

Miles says industrial development and redevelopment will continue to rise. “You’ll see less demand for retail and a transition to industrial overall,” he says. “That’s the way people are shopping.”

The Delaware Logistics Center will help NorthPoint meet that need.

“We’re proud of our investment in Delaware,” Miles says, “and we think it will be really successful.”

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

July 23, 2020 – 

Company Makes Solo Cups and Other Food Containers

For many Americans, no backyard barbecue or holiday celebration is complete without a stack of red Solo cups. Now Dart Container, the manufacturer of this popular product, will have a presence in Delaware’s own backyard.

Dart Container Corporation — not to be confused with DART, the Delaware Transit Corporation — will be the first tenant in the Delaware Logistics Center in New Castle near Delaware City. The site is Dart’s first location in Delaware, and the center is the first project in the state for NorthPoint Development.

Dart will occupy a million square feet on the new campus, where it will serve “customers who order a tremendous amount of Dart products,” says Bob Markus, director of distribution for the Michigan-based company.

Dart’s customers don’t lack options. The company manufactures more than 3,000 packaging products from a variety of raw materials for the foodservice industry, including cups, plates, containers and lids. Some of these items have been in high demand, given that many restaurants have depended on takeout during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global company has more than 30 locations in four countries and about 14,000 employees. The Delaware center will employ about 60 to 70 people.

And it all started in a small machine shop in 1937. “We’ve been in business for 60 years and have seen tremendous changes in the marketplace through the decades,” Markus says.

William F. “WF” Dart founded Dart Manufacturing Company to make plastic key cases, steel tape measures, ID tags for the armed services and children’s toys.  His son, William A. “WA” joined the company in the 1950s and invented machinery to manufacture foam cups. The impetus was a new, lightweight material — expandable polystyrene — which keeps items hot or cold for prolonged periods.

Dart shipped its first order of 6-ounce foam cups by 1960 and in 1962 began offering customized print cups, 8- and 12-ounce sizes and retail cups for consumers. By 1963, Dart Manufacturing Company had become Dart Container Corporation.

Complementary products soon followed to fuel society’s to-go trend. Dart began offering everything from foam bowls to spout lids to plastic cutlery and dinnerware.

“We’ve always partnered with our customers to innovate new food and beverage packaging to fill the needs of restaurants — both national franchises and mom-and-pop businesses — and coffee shops, healthcare facilities, entertainment venues and academic institutions,” Markus says.

The company also has kept a keen eye on new markets. When supermarkets began selling prepared foods and installing salad bars in the 1990s, Dart was there with clear deli containers. It then stepped up when convenience stores entered the foodservice arena.

In 2012, Dart doubled its size with the purchase of Solo Cup Company, which was founded in 1936. At the time of the acquisition, the Illinois-based manufacturer had 7,500 employees and 20 plants and distribution centers worldwide.

Breaking New Ground

The red Solo cup might be a signature seller, but Solo’s first product was the paper cone, which became a mainstay alongside water coolers in offices, hospitals and other public places. Dart still makes the cone along with the foam cups that launched the business.

Today, products are made from paper, plastic and sugarcane and encompass an array of environmental profiles, from recovery to recycling to composting. “We’re always innovating to create sustainable packaging solutions,” Markus maintains. “Dart is an industry leader in providing access to recycling.”

Dart, which has two distribution centers and a large manufacturing facility in Maryland, chose Delaware for its strategic location. “It enables us to consolidate inventory in a single location that serves our East Coast customers more efficiently from a trucking and logistics standpoint,” Markus explains. 

The COVID-19 pandemic won’t delay the New Castle distribution center’s opening, he adds. “Dart has implemented comprehensive protocols at all facilities to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for employees, vendors and visitors,” he says. “We will continue to use the same approach at our Delaware facility.”

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

July 7, 2020 – 

Baltimore Manufacturer Relocating to Dover

For Linda Parkowski, executive director of the Kent Economic Partnership, casting a wide net is starting to pay dividends. She’s been on the hunt for job creators that want to locate in Kent County since assuming the leadership role at the county’s economic development department back in 2018. Her efforts in launching a new website, attending myriad trade shows and refocusing the partnership’s mission has raised the agency’s profile and garnered attention from business interests considering Central Delaware.

Recently, these outreach activities attracted a cold call from a New York commercial Realtor attempting to find a buyer for the Dover Post – a mid-state weekly newspaper – facility on Little Creek Road in Dover. The 24,000-square-foot facility on eight acres was owned by Gannett, which recently merged with GateHouse Media to form the largest newspaper company in the country.

“He said the company was looking into selling the facility and wanted to know if I had any leads,” said Parkowski. “It’s the type of call I love getting because it’s a huge opportunity.”

Luckily, Parkowski already had been working with Steven Manlove, president of Avalon Industries Inc. and International Container Corp., to try to find a suitable location. Avalon Industries Inc. is a textile manufacturer focusing on bags, totes and cases for the Department of Defense, first responders, schools, cities, towns and youth team sports leagues. International Container Corp. is a disposable container manufacturer.

Dover Post Facility Perfect for Baltimore Manufacturer

Manlove had been planning to move production for both companies to Delaware, and the Dover Post facility was “exactly what he was looking for,” said Parkowski.

“And it’s great because he’s exactly what we’re looking for too,” she added. “The Kent Economic Partnership has been targeting small-to-medium manufacturers like Manlove’s companies. They’re a great addition to our local economy and fit well here. Of course, we were thrilled to hear that he plans on creating 40 new jobs here, too. That will go a long way toward our economic development goals.”

The $1.4 million sale of the facility closed in May, according to R&R Commercial Realty’s Carl Kaplan, who acted as Manlove’s agent. Both Parkowski and Kaplan agree that an especially satisfying part of the acquisition is that the Dover Post plans to lease back some office space from Manlove. The building will contain both his businesses and the newspaper.

“I’d say it’s a good outcome for the property,” said Kaplan. “There isn’t a lot of warehouse/manufacturing space like this in Dover, so it’s nice to see that it’ll be used efficiently. But it’s also nice to see that the Dover Post will stick around.” 

The current plan is to split the warehouse into four portions, with 18,000 square feet to be divided up between Manlove’s companies. The remainder of the building will be reserved for the newspaper’s use.

Manlove’s businesses were originally based in Baltimore. Parkowski noted that Maryland is losing the two manufacturing businesses over the state’s increasingly “challenging” business climate. Its loss is Delaware’s gain. In the coming months, after some retooling and renovations, the facility will come back online and a plethora of made-in-Dover products will hit the market.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

June 25, 2020 – 

Delaware-based Credit Card Leverages High-tech Methods to Serve Untapped Markets

Delaware has no shortage of credit card brands, thanks to the Financial Center Development Act. The bipartisan legislation, which Gov. Pete du Pont signed in 1981, attracted some of the world’s largest banks to the state. But in the nearly 40 years since the act’s passing, there has been nothing quite like Ollo.

The consumer Mastercard, which serves the “underserved” and “unbanked,” is the creation of Fair Square Financial, a Wilmington company with seasoned leadership and a fresh fintech attitude.

Since launching Ollo in 2017, Fair Square has acquired more than 500,000 credit card customers and received positive ratings from credit-rating agencies Moody’s Investors Services and Kroll. These are impressive accomplishments, considering Fair Square is only four years old.

Spotting a Need

Ollo caters to the average, everyday American, says Florian Egg-Krings, chief marketing officer and head of products at Fair Square. “Consumers in the middle of the market were not well-served by a lot of the large bank issuers,” he notes.

Egg-Krings should know. He previously worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Bank of America, both of which have a strong presence in Delaware.

Fair Square’s CEO, Rob Habgood, has more than 25 years of industry experience, including tenures at Bank of America and Capital One. The board’s industry veterans include Vikram S. Pandit, former CEO of Citigroup and previously president and COO for the institutional securities and investment banking businesses of Morgan Stanley.

The experienced executives realized thousands — if not millions — of consumers apply for a credit card every day only to face rejection. Some have poor credit while others have little of it. Fair Square was founded to level the field with affordable rates and no surprises.

The company received a vote of confidence in 2016 with an equity commitment of $200 million from financial services-focused private equity firm Pine Brook and an $800,000 grant from the State of Delaware.

From the start, Ollo was about elevating the credit card experience. “We wanted to create a brand that people were proud to have in their wallet,” says Jen Spofford, senior vice president of client services at Bounteous — formerly The Archer Group — which has worked on the Ollo project from the start. “You are proud to put the Ollo card down as you pay for dinner.”

So what’s with the name? The letters “O” and “L” have an open, engaging sound. Ollo rolls off the tongue with a happy, hopeful note. Plus, you’re not likely to confuse it with a conventional bank name.

The sleek design of the two available cards includes a simple yet modern logo, which speaks to Ollo’s straightforward services. Ollo Platinum has no annual fee. Ollo Rewards gives card members unlimited cash back on purchases.

Fair Square, which markets to consumers nationwide, has given the same careful consideration to its website and highly rated mobile app, which sport the cheery colors of blue and yellow. The landing pages are bright and crisp. A section on credit education, which is available to any website visitor, offers easy-to-read information.

Egg-Krings and his team worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Bounteous’ designers to make sure the digital experience was frictionless for Ollo’s cardmembers, says Spofford. Consequently, it was an agile process.

“We designed the mobile app from start to finish in a matter of a few months instead of the year it might take less nimble financial services firms,” she says.

The Right Fit

Consumers can apply for an Ollo card only if they receive an invitation. The vetted approach lets Fair Square evaluate risk and tailor the product to the applicant. The goal is to provide each consumer with “the right kind of credit at the right time,” Egg-Krings says.

Prospective customers generally fall into three segments:

• “The Rising Millennial” who may have no credit cards or just one.
• “The Fallen Angel” who lost a good credit score after a hardship and needs a boost.
• “The Steady Juggler” who lacks enough savings to bridge an occasional gap in finances.

To reach these customers, Fair Square goes beyond credit bureau information. Advanced analytics, modeling and complex algorithms digest multiple data sources to provide a full picture of the candidate.

Consider the consumer who lacks enough credit history to obtain a traditional card. By mining additional data, Fair Square may learn that the consumer has lived at one address for a long time, which indicates stability.

A conventional issuer might turn down the customer who has a delinquency on his or her credit report. Fair Square’s machine-learning technology, however, notes that the debt was a five-year-old blip on an otherwise steady record.

Exceeding Expectations

The company is on the move. In 2018, Fair Square received a $100 million investment from Pandit and his investment firm, the Orogen Group, which looks for companies with proven business models and high-growth potential.

In February 2020, Fair Square completed the sale of $300 million of asset-backed securities secured by Ollo credit card receivables. The proceeds are paying down the borrowings from Fair Square’s revolving credit facility and funding the acquisition of additional receivables.

As Ollo’s customers change, they will need other products. Fair Square plans to be there with new offerings. “It is important for us to grow with our customers and be with them on their journey,” Egg-Krings says.

As Fair Square expands, it can look to its own backyard for talent. The company now has 78 employees, many of whom have prior experience in Delaware’s credit card industry or lifestyle marketing. The company also collaborates with Wilmington agencies, such as Bounteous.

“Being able to partner with a brand that’s so forward-thinking has been fabulous,” Spofford says. “We’re really looking forward to taking the customer experience to the next level.”

To be sure, Fair Square isn’t ready to rest on its positive ratings. “We like the business that we’re building,” Egg-Krings says, “and we’re very passionate about what we do.”

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

June 18, 2020 –

Headquartered in a New Castle office park near the Delaware Memorial Bridge, one small Delaware business has been making some very big headlines. Halosil International was featured on NBC’s Today Show, NBC 10 Philadelphia and radio programs. But even before these segments aired, Halosil was receiving a flood of phone calls and emails.  

The reason is the HaloFogger, an R2-D2-looking device that dispenses the HaloMist. Together, these powerhouses can disinfectant an entire room at the touch of a button. There’s no need to spray, wipe or shine a UV light. Indeed, no one is in the room while the machine operates. 

Halosil, founded in 2008 as Sanosil International, had been quietly gaining ground in a competitive marketplace. But Covid-19 has placed the company squarely in the limelight, and the increased interest in its products shows no sign of waning.

Halosil Spotting a Need

Halosil was formed by CEO Chris Ungermann, a former DuPont Company employee, and a partner to develop a novel disinfectant solution in the United States.  The product marries a low level of hydrogen peroxide with antimicrobial silver ions to attack pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. 

The company promoted the disinfectant as a biocide for water treatment applications. Industrial cooling and animal drinking water treatment remain a target market.

 “But in the wake of epidemics, it became clear that there was a need for surface disinfection,” says Maryalice StClair, chief commercial officer. She and her husband, David StClair, joined the team in 2013 after Ungermann’s original partner exited.

 A Painstaking Process

To meet health care’s needs, Halosil developed a ready-to-use formula, HaloMist, and the HaloFogger, a dry-mist delivery system.

“We pioneered the technology,” Ungermann says. Gaining the proper EPA registrations to make efficacy claims took time and patience. 

Halosil worked with an independent, certified testing lab to establish protocols for EPA approval. By 2011, alpha testing and third-party lab testing had determined that the disinfectant — delivered via a dry fog method — was effective against Clostridioides difficile spores. 

C. diff, a bacterium, can cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to life-threatening inflammation of the colon. “It’s very difficult to kill,” Ungermann notes. The infection is on the rise. Each year, nearly a half a million people develop C. diff.  

According to the Centers for Disease Control, to claim efficacy against C. diff, a product must kill 99.9999% of spores. Even a modicum of live spores on surfaces can cause infection. 

On the opposite end of the disinfectant spectrum are enveloped viruses, such as Avian Influenza A (HSN1) and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. These viruses are most susceptible to disinfectants.  

HaloMist is now listed on the EPA’s List N for products with emerging pathogen and human coronavirus claims for use against SARS-CoV-2.

The Complete Package

Halosil received the EPA registration for whole room-surface disinfection in 2013. One fogger can handle up to 10,500 cubic feet. If you use multiple foggers, however, you can increase that capacity. Rooms must be sealed and unoccupied. 

The machines, which have digital timers, are made to Halosil’s specifications at a Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, factory. A “dosing” pump delivers the exact amount of disinfectant needed to kill the pathogens. “There’s no guesswork,” StClair says.

Halosil offers three models. One stays in the room throughout the treatment. The second has a nozzle that snakes into the room while the machine remains in the hall. When the process is complete, release the nozzle, move the fogger to another space and attach it to a second nozzle. “You can fog multiple spaces very quickly,” StClair says.

The third unit, designed for small spaces, is currently being used in Delaware correctional facilities, courthouse spaces and first responder vehicles. 

The HaloMist disinfectant has a two-year shelf life, which means users can store it for an emergency event.

Ramping Up Production

Halosil already had a steady list of clients before the pandemic hit. In February, the company made the news for upping its shipments to China, the source of the novel coronavirus. Once the virus hit American shores, the calls poured in.

Halosil does not sell to consumers, and a website landing page makes that clear.  Customers have long included life science facilities, hospitals, nursing homes and labs. Recently, the number of hospital sales has increased.

“They realize that they need a sporicidal kill in the whole room,” StClair says. “It’s not just spray-and-wipe. It’s not just UV — which does not achieve a sporicidal kill in the whole room.”

 Since the pandemic hit, 60 percent of inquiries concern public and private buildings. In the past, schools primarily used Halosil’s products in gyms and locker rooms. Now they want to fog classrooms, bathrooms and dorms, StClair says.

Rapid transit systems in Dallas, Chicago and Boston are also using the system, as are ambulances. “It’s perfect for emergency vehicles,” she says. 

“We’re doing everything we can to increase our capacity,” StClair says. Having a manufacturing facility in the United States has helped. So has Delaware’s location near major transportation arteries. About 30% of the sales are to overseas clients.

“It’s very easy to ship from here,” she says. “We have access to air shipment in Philadelphia, and since we’re on the I-95 corridor, it’s easy to get the products to Miami and then on to Latin American and the Caribbean.”

A longtime Delaware resident, StClair says that when she calls on Delaware economic organizations for help, they get back to her. “You get answers. Delaware has always been supportive.” 

She gives credit to Beth Pomper, director of international business development for Export Delaware, an initiative of the Delaware Dept. of State, and Jim Jones, a lean enterprise specialist with the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

During the pandemic, it’s been common for the Halosil team to work six or seven days a week to fill orders. The advantages of Halosil’s disinfecting products have clearly gone viral.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

June 15, 2020 – 

ILC Dover, one of Delaware’s most iconic manufacturers, has once again used its formidable material science expertise to fill a desperate need in the nation. Over 50 years ago, the company pioneered space suits to protect America astronauts from the vacuum of space. Now, in 2020, the company is pumping out products to protect frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Demand Explodes for ILC Dover Line of Sentinel Products

A world-leading flexible protective solutions designer and manufacturer, ILC Dover has been one of the most innovative companies in Delaware since its start in 1947. Primarily focused on the pharmaceutical, personal protection, aerospace, bulk packaging and flood protection industries, ILC Dover suddenly experienced an explosion in demand for its line of Sentinel products in the healthcare industry during the onset of the pandemic.

The company has already been producing the Sentinel XL PAPR (powered air purifying respirators) for healthcare facilities nationwide. The revolutionary design based on customer feedback redefined how healthcare employees mitigate the risk of exposure to hazardous pathogens in recent years.

But earlier this year, orders shot up 1,200% from last year, said company president and CEO, Fran DiNuzzo. The surge immediately shocked their existing supply chain, which in turn, unlocked their innovative spirit.

“The amount of raw material we needed was vast and there was one critical part of our systems – called an HP hood – that we couldn’t get a sufficient supply of,” said DiNuzzo. “We wouldn’t be able to deliver our systems without the hood so our engineers had to design, build, gain regulatory approval for and start production on a new hood in a very short amount of time. That’s where the EZ BioHood came from.”

Making use of materials and fabrication equipment ILC Dover already had on hand, the firm fast-tracked an alternative. Racing against the clock, they pulled it off. ILC Dover was able to obtain regulatory approval in a timeframe that would have been unheard of months earlier.

“NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) within the CDC was able to give us approval in just seven days – ordinarily this process can take anywhere from three to six months because of their workload,” said DiNuzzo. “With the help of the state, we contacted NIOSH directly to make them aware of the situation and from start to finish, we were able to get the new hood from design to production in five short weeks.”

The new Sentinel EZ BioHood is a loose-fitting hood designed to work with ILC Dover’s Sentinel XL blower system. It features an Assigned Protection Factor (APF) of 1,000 – compared to an N-95 mask which offers an APF of 10, the Sentinel EZ BioHood provides 100 times the protection. Superior to the N-95 in almost every way, the Sentinel EZ BioHood is supplied with clean filtered air, can be worn comfortably for long periods of time, and provides exceptional visibility, enabling healthcare workers to provide effective and continued care to patients.

Available to anyone, DiNuzzo says the blower system retails anywhere from $1,500 to $1,800 and the replaceable hood components run about $65 apiece.

Ramping up production has even allowed the company to grow at a time when the world economy is contracting sharply. ILC Dover has added 50 new employees to the project and significantly increased the footprint allocated to it in their facility. The company employs approximately 850 workers worldwide, about half of which are in their Frederica, DE facility.

“Right now, we’re operating at about 10x the production rate we were at in the beginning of the year,” said DiNuzzo. “We’re getting our people fully trained up and a few new pieces of equipment in as well which will allow us to ramp up further to about 30x our production.”

Prospects for Growth on the Horizon

While the worldwide pandemic was an unforeseen market force, DiNuzzo believes it’ll account for more than a temporary surge for ILC Dover.

“We’re anticipating a slow decline in coronavirus cases, but we don’t think it’ll suddenly drop off a cliff,” said DiNuzzo. “There will be quite a lot of work left to do in hospitals and healthcare systems so staff will need protection. We’re also expecting an increased level of use for these systems in general, as we now have a deeper understanding of how to keep employees safe while battling infectious diseases. For many months to come, there will likely be a significant amount of strategic stockpiling as well at the federal and state level as well as in the healthcare industry.”

The new business bodes especially well for ILC Dover’s future since it represents a previously untapped market for the firm.

“We really didn’t sell much in the healthcare market until the Ebola crisis a few years ago – and we were just filling a gap in demand at that time,” said DiNuzzo. “Healthcare professionals found our systems to be more comfortable and have increased visibility over what they were used to, so we’ve done well since then. However, now with coronavirus, our systems offer far better protection than other options so we think there will be a strong, growing demand. Generally, there is just a much larger marketplace right now in these products.”

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

June 8, 2020 – 

In 1999, biotechnology was a burgeoning industry – and Delaware’s leadership spotted the potential. That year, then-Lt. Gov. John Carney, working with Gov. Tom Carper, earmarked $10 million to create a biotechnology institute that would partner with corporations, colleges and universities. It would also support research, as well as train and attract talent.

More than 20 years later, Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI) has exceeded expectations. Currently housed in 72,000 square feet at Delaware Technology Park, DBI will manage the new 220,000-square-foot Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Building on the University’s STAR (Science, Technology and Advanced Research) Campus. The new building also is the home of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL), part of the Manufacturing USA Network.

Most would agree that DBI has played a large part in the ascent of the biotechnology sector in Delaware. In many respects, the institute’s growth reflects the industry’s relevance in today’s world.

Delaware is no stranger to innovation. “Science-based research built the Delaware economy and helped launch America’s technology-based industries,” says John Koh, director of DBI and a University of Delaware chemistry and biochemistry professor. “Delaware is a pioneer in technology and industry.”

In 1802, DuPont began as a gunpowder mill. By the early 20th century, the company was creating textiles and other materials. Along with DuPont, the life science powerhouses AstraZeneca and Hercules helped launch DBI in 2001.

The institute’s early academic partners included UD, which has offered programs in chemical engineering and agricultural research for more than a century; Delaware State University, Delaware Technical Community College and Wesley College; and ChristianaCare and Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children. All of the partners can leverage DBI’s highly prized instrumentation and research resources.

When DBI opened its headquarters in 2001, the $14 million building in Delaware Technology Park certainly was the centerpiece of the state’s $40 million investment in the emerging biotech industry. From the start, DBI focused on its strengths.

“Our genome-sequencing facility is world-renowned for its ability to handle agricultural and plant genomes, which are much larger and more complex than mammalian genomes,” Koh says. “DBI created a unique niche, initially focusing on excellence in agricultural biotechnology and then expanding across all molecular and cellular life sciences.”

Meeting Today’s Researchers’ Needs

Today, human health, agri-tech and the environment form the three pillars of life science research at DBI. “These core areas are built on cross-disciplinary research conducted by world-class faculty members,” says Alok Patel, DBI’s associate director of external affairs.

At the core of the Institute’s services are state-of-the-art specialized instruments that cost millions of dollars. Take, for instance, the high-end microscopes in the bio-imaging facilities, next-gen sequencers in the genotyping and DNA-sequencing facility and the massive computing power in the bioinformatics facility. In addition, highly knowledgeable personnel provide much-needed guidance to researchers.

“We’re here to support the whole scientific ecosystem,” Koh says. “You have to have expert technicians – sometimes at the Ph.D. level – to operate the technology.”

For startups, this combination of equipment and expertise “helps accelerate their business model,” Patel says. “Small companies are looking to grow as fast as possible, but resources can be hard to come by.”

Academic collaborations can lead to startup companies. Consider Elcriton, which evolved from the DBI lab of Professor Terry Papoutsakis. “Terry was one of the star scientists we were able to recruit,” Koh says.

Elcriton was founded to create novel biochemical technologies to address the country’s renewable energy needs. Dr. Bryan Tracy and Papoutsakis, a chemical engineering professor, worked on the development of a genetically modified bacteria, known as Clostridia, that could produce biofuel n-butanol.

Tracy, who still has his eye on sustainability, is now CEO of White Dog Labs in nearby New Castle, Delaware. White Dog specializes in microbiome-driven solutions to increase food sustainability and improve the quality of human health and animal nutrition, while also minimizing the emissions contributing to climate change.

Sowing Seeds for the Future

Because the Institute is a hub for faculty and students – from undergraduate to post-doctoral – DBI is a training ground for workforce development. The Institute also is involved in K-12 outreach efforts and holds programs to train student teachers.

DBI also manages the Delaware Bioscience Center for Advanced Technology (CAT) program, which nurtures academic-industry partnerships through three grant mechanisms:

• Applied Research Collaborations support bioscience research between Delaware academic facilities and business partners.
• Technology Access Programs give bioscience businesses access to high-end research technologies at a reduced rate.
• Entrepreneurial Proof of Concept supports research that helps create new Delaware-based business.

“We impact a wide range of businesses with these grants, from small to large,” Patel notes. Companies such as Air Liquide, Sea Watch International, Prelude Therapeutics and Avkin have all benefited from the program.

“These grants are the way we can help align academic research with the needs of the business community and, ultimately, support their workforce needs,” Koh says.

DBI also works closely with incubators and associations in the community, such as Delaware Technology Park, Delaware Innovation Space, Delaware Prosperity Partnership, the Delaware Bioscience Association, the Delaware Sustainable Chemical Alliance and numerous chambers of commerce across the state.

DBI’s presence also has an impact on its own. The decision to locate the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals in Delaware is partly due to DBI, and NIIMBL’s director, Kelvin Lee, is the former director of DBI. The addition of NIIMBL and its expanding focus on human health is opening doors for DBI.

“We have the opportunity to build our human health research because of breakthroughs in biotherapeutics,” Koh expands.

The Ammon Pinizzotto Biopharmaceutical Innovation Building stands on what formerly was a Chrysler plant. One day, Koh stood on the roof of the new building and watched as workers removed the last of the plant’s concrete. Initially, he felt sad as Chrysler had once been a major employer in the state. But then he looked around at the new occupants, which include Chemours and UD’s College of Health Sciences.

“I got excited about the important place we have in redeveloping and redefining Delaware’s economy,” he says.

Stay Up To Date With Delaware

June 1, 2020 – 

Delaware consultant Kirsten McGregor helps economies rebound after a disaster. Here are her tips for government and business leaders in the wake of COVID-19.

In the 21st century, the U.S. economy has taken it on the chin more than once. The first decade started with 9/11 and was punctuated by a recession. A string of natural disasters caused massive revenue losses. Now municipalities and companies are facing a daunting disrupter: the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a result, Kirsten McGregor’s phone is ringing. She is the principal of SAGAX Associates, a Wilmington, Delaware-based economic recovery and development firm.

McGregor, who has a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of Pennsylvania, is a specialist in economic recovery. She was the senior policy advisor on President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Task Force and an economic lead recovery coordinator working with FEMA after Sandy. Most recently, she’s been an economic recovery lead coordinator consultant in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which were devastated by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Unlike a storm that passes before recovery begins, the pandemic remains an active presence as businesses begin to regain traction, notes McGregor. With shutdowns and layoffs, the economy felt the immediate impact of the coronavirus. That is true even in cities that aren’t hotspots.

“Communities reliant on severely impacted industries, such as tourism, will experience significant economic challenges,” she explains. The pandemic is also affecting economies across the globe.

As governments and businesses look to rebuild, there’s no reason to “reinvent the wheel,” she maintains. There are established federal frameworks that you can leverage. Leaders can also cultivate the characteristics they need to withstand what’s ahead.

Realize you can’t control the situation

You can control your actions and emotions, but you can’t control a force of nature, McGregor says. Even so, act confidently and quickly — even when you don’t have all the answers. Adapt to new information as needed.

Don’t let ego get in the way. According to McGregor, to lead by example, you must be:

• Responsive, not reactive.
• Authentic without being sensationalizing or politicizing.
• Balanced in an environment of fear and anxiety.
• Grounded and present.
• Mission-focused and committed.

Build a support system

Bring together people with whom you feel safe so you can hear different viewpoints. Empower your leadership team and delegate tasks. Communicate frequently and show appreciation. “Recovery work can be exhausting,” McGregor notes.

A leader should create an interdisciplinary task force — a recovery or resiliency team — and an office of disaster recovery with a dedicated staff and a chief recovery or resiliency officer (CRO). “The office and task force should be as politically agnostic as possible to avoid a recovery relapse if there is a change in leadership,” she says.

She also recommends a centralized coordinator to manage and oversee recovery funding to boost credibility and transparency when grant requests flood the office.

Provide a seat at the table — or secure one

To develop strategic plans and strategies, the task force will need input from subject matter experts. “The federal government guidelines encourage a steering committee with a large percentage of people from the private sector,” McGregor says. “Businesses drive the economy.”

If you’re a leader in a hard-hit industry, such as hospitality or tourism, seek a position or representation on that committee.

Manage expectations

“Your mindset is your message,” McGregor often says. Communicate a consistent, transparent and coordinated message to the community, internal and external government and stakeholders. If a desperate community can’t get answers from you, they will look to another source — regardless of its credibility.

• Provide clear explanations.
• Focus on what you do know; do not speculate.
• Do not dismiss or downplay the situation.
• Provide factual data, information and actions that are underway.
• Cite your sources.
• Identify the best person to deliver the message to a particular audience.
• Customize the message to that audience.
• Promote collaborative and empathic messaging.

Make sure everyone is working with the same datasets by forming data and messaging committees. “The coordination of messaging is key,” McGregor says.

Find any weak links

McGregor says that a disaster will highlight preexisting vulnerabilities, from food supply issues to the need for mental health services. This is an opportunity to mitigate damage now and for the future.

Take advantage of funding

Small businesses can be highly vulnerable in an economic downturn. Apply for any funding resources that you can find, she says. Contact the Small Business Development Center and go to your state’s Office of Small Business website to learn about federal contracts, organizations, and agencies that provide technical assistance.

“Pay attention to any policy and funding changes and how you can adapt,” McGregor says. “Changes will happen frequently, so embrace the uncertainty.”

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May 21, 2020 – 

When businesses across the country started shuttering in response to COVID-19, Nick Griseto was worried. As president of James Thompson & Company Inc. – a Delaware textile mill in Greenwood – Griseto has almost 45 employees working at their 125,000 square-foot facility.

“That’s one of our worst fears,” he said. “Having that many people making their livelihood with your company – you really don’t want to lay anyone off. Having a decent job, especially at a time like this is huge in peoples’ lives. It makes all the difference. Getting laid off is a terrible emotional drain for the employee and their family. I didn’t want to put anyone through that.”

Although deemed an “essential” business at the start, most of the mill’s suppliers shut down, so Griseto had to close for two weeks. However, after some strategy conversations with Sussex County’s Economic Development Director William Pfaff and some industrial pivoting, Griseto hit on the idea of distributing fabrics to mask manufacturers. This has become an especially crucial sector locally and nationwide as many Governors have mandated their use to help contain the spread of the virus.

“Within 24 hours of looking into it, we were getting feedback from local hospitals and manufacturers concerning what they needed and how to get it to them,” said Griseto. “We donated much of what we had on hand – but since then, we’ve found a few new suppliers that have remained open and we’re getting more product in. We’ve ramped back up and we expect to be back in full production by the middle of May.”

For groups and nonprofits making masks for first responders, James Thompson & Co. is still donating materials. But, Griseto is proud to be a part of the supply chain that is bringing in high-quality materials for manufacturers that are engaged in larger-scale production too.

“Now that we have the right suppliers, we’re getting in great material,” he said. “To be the proper mesh for masks, it needs an antimicrobial agent on it – it’s a sort of chemical finish.”

It took flexibility and ingenuity, by Griseto believes the changes his company has made accomplishes two of his most important goals; being an asset to the community and providing a sustainable workplace for his employees.

“I think this is a drive that most entrepreneurs have: contributing to society,” he said. “In the past we’ve donated fabrics and clothing to schools, but with this, we feel like we’re stepping up in a crisis. It’s important for any manufacturer to be an active part of the community their based in.”

Storied Past, Bright Future

One of the oldest textile mills in the country, it’s a bit of luck that James Thompson & Co. has become a part of the ‘first state’ community. Founded in 1860 by a Scottish immigrant named James Thompson, the mill opened its doors in the thick of the industrial revolution in Valley Falls, New York.

Over the intervening century in a half, they’ve brought myriad fabrics, dyes and finishes to market. In 1972, they moved their mill operation to the 136-acre site in Greenwood where it still resides.

In 2016, the last descendent of James Thompson to run the company, Robert Judell, passed away at the age of 92. The estate had dwindling interest in running the company, explains Griseto, so he was hired to manage or sell it. Seeing great promise in the well-established company, Griseto, and his wife Terry ended up buying it in late 2019.

“Terry and I helped manage it for four years until purchasing it,” he said. “Since then we’ve done a lot of cleaning up and streamlining of the operation, sort of trying to figure out who we are.”

Up until last year, James Thompson & Co. had been maintaining a headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City. Griseto noticed immediately that there were significant cost benefits to consolidating the operation and moving all functions to Delaware. He notes that real estate costs, commuting, logistics and access to a diverse, affordable labor pool all helped make that decision easier.

“The office in New York was only about 2,000 square feet, but between rent, taxes and utilities, we were spending over $300,000 per year,” said Griseto. “That doesn’t include labor costs. Now everything is here in Delaware; the corporate and sales headquarters and all our manufacturing. We’ve also begun to renovate the plant.”

At a time when many businesses are contracting and taking a wait-and-see approach to business, Griseto is bullish with his bet on Delaware. Not only is he confident that his COVID-19 pivot was enough to keep his 45 employees busy, he has expansion plans that could put hundreds more people to work at his facility.

“We have room to expand here and we’re going to add additional buildings – thanks to some planning we’ve done with Sussex County’s public works, waste treatment capacity issues are being resolved so we can keep growing,” he added. “Our goal is to increase manufacturing and reintroduce printing to our facility again. I plan to have disabled vets working here to do the printing on military uniforms. In two or three years, we could have up to 300 to 400 people working here.”

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