Improve the layout of the fabrication department and increase the efficiencies of material flow to streamline production and reduce costs. This manufacturer of truck bodies seeks to expand production and compete more effectively.

Continue pre-clinical testing toward commercializing Makefield’s innovative, proprietary, nanoparticle-based drug delivery platforms. The company has begun two development efforts in applications that offer extensive market opportunities, with the potential to generate a pipeline of additional medications. The first program is in anti-infectives, therapeutics in which drug resistance is a critical and growing problem in both community and hospital settings. Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be severe, rapidly spreading, and life-threatening, and currently represent a significant burden to worldwide healthcare systems.

Conduct a baseline sustainability assessment at Kraft’s Lehigh Valley facility to identify opportunities for the implementation of alternative energy sources and greatly improved energy efficiencies for process improvement. Kraft Lehigh Valley produces snacks, confections, and quick meals. It has a strong reputation in the Kraft network for innovation as a facility that develops and implements a pipeline of new approaches.

Complete product beta testing, licensing documentation, and branding necessary for full release of Hydro4GE’s new Online-Development-Environment (ODE) software tool. This platform allows programmers to generate and support whole database systems from high-level specifications. Traditional software construction practices are often repetitive and labor intensive, and thus prone to error. Hydro4GE’s software delivers substantial programmer productivity gains, rapid application prototyping, and dramatic ongoing support efficiencies. This significantly reduces programming time and increases the accuracy in attaining the desired software program functionality.

Appoint a business consultant to further develop Blue Spark’s strategic plan for vertical market penetration and engage an intellectual property firm to enhance the company’s patent position. Blue Spark has launched a two-way, real-time communications platform that will change the way business professionals communicate. The company’s proprietary technology offers “next-generation” communication to various vertical markets.

Capture how manufacturing parameters affect the end use of products at this manufacturer of medical devices that distributes worldwide. Using this information, B. Braun will develop a maintenance and operational training process at the local facility to improve critical job function knowledge. Heightened awareness of customer requirements and cognizance of quality at the operator and technician level improves quality and reduces waste.

Complete facility planning via operational space creation, consolidation, and administration centralization at this producer of frozen pierogies for retail and institutional customers.

Assess Ashland’s current energy consumption to identify ways to reduce usage and energy inefficiencies, and thereby decrease operating costs. Ashland manufactures pump components from high alloy castings

Dr. Alan J. Snyder The Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania (BFTP/NEP) has announced the appointment of Dr. Alan J. Snyder, Vice President and Associate Provost for Research and Graduate Studies at Lehigh University, as a new member of its Board of Directors.  As Lehigh’s chief research officer, Dr. Snyder works Continue Reading ...

  Governor Edward G. Rendell Governor Thomas J. Ridge Governor Richard L. Thornburgh Pennsylvania Governors Rendell, Ridge, and Thornburgh lauded the Ben Franklin Technology Partners as a model statewide economic development program that drives technology-based entrepreneurship and technological innovation that are key to economic prosperity. At the Pennsylvania Cable Network website, click on “Technology Based Economic Development – 9/17/2010 (scroll on downward arrow on menu to right) to view the State Science and Technology Institute conference session of September 15, 2010.