Focus on Calumet
A periodic update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County
and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
Monday, August 20, 2018
Ariens Workforce Retention Strategy: "Make Brillion a Really Attractive Community"
Members of the Brillion Chamber of Commerce were able to pick the brain of Ariens Company President and CEO Dan Ariens at the group’s most recent Lunch and Learn event. Ariens’ prevailing message to the group was about the growth of population in Brillion.

“We’re bringing in 1,300 or 1,400 employees to the plant. We have another 250 to 300 management staff that comes in here every day, and most of them don’t live here,” Ariens said. “Even our hourly people, most of them live outside of the community. I think that we need to make this really an attractive community and start to convince people that there’s a good reason to live in Brillion.”

Ariens says that the message should get out to people outside of the community.

“I don’t think we talk about the good things that we have here to others outside,” Ariens said. “It’s easy to look at what we don’t have versus what we do.”
Dan Ariens speaks to the Brillion Chamber of Commerce
Photo credit: David Nordby, Brillion News


Ariens, who did speak about the redevelopment of the former Brillion Iron Works properties, has not presented anything formally to the City of Brillion about the site. The plans for the site include potential residential areas, industrial areas, retail areas, temporary office spaces and warehousing spaces.  
Local Businesses Acknowledged by WMC
At its recent Wisconsin Policy Day event held in Madison on August 6, Wisconsin Manufacturer’s and Commerce recognized two local manufacturing companies with their Business Friend of the Environment Award. Award winners include Ariens Company, Brillion, and Briess Malt and Ingredients Company, Chilton. Congratulations to these local businesses for their accomplishments! 
Wisconsin Adds 38,500 Private Sector, 21,300 Manufacturing Jobs
The WI Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) revisions for June 2018 and preliminary estimates for July covering the employment and job statistics for the state of Wisconsin. Wisconsin added a statistically significant 38,500 private sector jobs from July 2017 to July 2018, with 21,300 jobs added in the state's robust manufacturing industry over the same time period. The state's historically low unemployment rate remained at 2.9 percent, the sixth consecutive month that Wisconsin's unemployment rate remained below 3 percent. Prior to 2018, Wisconsin never had a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate below 3 percent. The state's labor force participation rate also remained at 68.9 percent.  
WMC and Johnson Financial Group Launch Third Annual "Coolest Thing Made in WI" Contest
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) and Johnson Financial Group is again hosting the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest for the third year. The annual competition aims to highlight the state’s manufacturing industry – which employs nearly 1 in 5 Wisconsinites – and ultimately determine the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin. This contest is a fun way to showcase manufacturers from every corner of the state who make a wide range of different products. The rules are simple: any product manufactured in Wisconsin qualifies for the contest. Nominations will be accepted starting August 20. Last year’s contest saw three Calumet County companies – Ariens, Briess, and Sargento, in the final stages of the competition before being eliminated in voting by winner Oshkosh Corporation’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.
Calumet County Application Partner on Broadband Expansion Grant
Calumet County was part of a broadband grant application submitted in conjunction with Nsight Telservices, a sister company of Cellcom. If approved, the grant will partially fund a 96-count fiber communication line from the Village of Sherwood through the City of Kiel in Calumet County as part of a connector project from Brown County to Sheboygan County. In addition to support provided by the Calumet County Board of Supervisors, the following communities/organizations also pledged support for the project.
City of Chilton
City of Kiel
City of New Holstein
Town of Charlestown
Town of Chilton
Town of New Holstein
Town of Woodville

Village of Harrison
Village of Hilbert
Village of Sherwood
Chilton Chamber of Commerce
New Holstein Chamber of
Commerce
New Holstein EDC
Fox Valley Technical College
Progress Lakeshore
Amerequip Corporation
Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Hilde’s Deli and Bakery
METKO
Sargento Foods
Terra Verde Organic Coffee
Businesses: Consider Export Markets
Calumet County businesses are encouraged to consider export markets as part of business development and expansion strategies. Numerous resources exist to help companies considering such a strategy. In this instance, the WI Economic Development Corporation will lead a trade venture to Australia from Nov. 7-9, 2018. Australia is a highly developed, internationally competitive, advanced market economy. The world’s second-wealthiest nation in terms of wealth per adult, Australia has a high standard of living and excellent quality of life, and has logged more than 25 years of uninterrupted economic growth. The program will include segments in Sydney and Melbourne. In each city, participating companies will be scheduled for customized business meetings with potential local partners chosen specifically for their companies by Wisconsin’s authorized trade representatives for Australia. Each participant in the global trade venture will also receive market intelligence specific to his or her company, detailing considerations to keep in mind when introducing the company’s product or service into the market.
Small Business Notes
The average lifespan of a small business in the United States is 5.3 years. That’s according to new data from the JPMorgan Chase Institute, which found that real estate firms have the longest lifespan at nine years and restaurants have the shortest at 3.7 years.  Local data for 25 areas is here .

Small businesses added 52,000 jobs in June . That’s slightly above the monthly average of 48,000 so far in 2018, according to payroll company ADP. But during the same seven months in 2017, ADP’s small businesses customers added an average of 71,000 jobs per month.
Business Updates
New Dance Academy Lands in Sherwood
Revel Dance Academy has opened in Sherwood in the High Cliff Studio Building at N398 Military Road. The studio offers dance classes in ballet, jazz, hip hop, and other genres from toddlers to youth. It also offers adults classes in a variety of genres throughout the year. More information is available at www.reveldanceacademy.com/.
Twitch's Bar Opens in Brillion
Live music, apple pie shots, arcade games and cheeseburger baskets. Twitch’s Bar and Grill on Main Street has brought a new flavor of entertainment to Brillion. The new bar opened in May and replaced M&P’s Smokehaus that closed earlier this year.
 (Source: Brillion News, photo credit David Nordby)
New Owners at Bakkheia in Brillion
Three new minds will be taking over Bakkheia Wine and Spirits in Brillion beginning on Wednesday, September 5. Don Emmer, Tyler See, and Frank Martin will be taking the place from Doug Buboltz and Don Mathiebe. 
(Source: Brillion News)
Ribbon Cutting on Chilton McDonald's Renovation
The ribbon was cut Friday morning, August 10, on the newly renovated Chilton McDonald’s . Members of the Chilton Chamber of Commerce joined the families of owners Jack King and his son Vince along with local manager Ross Aubry in cutting the ribbon. The King family purchased the Chilton and Kiel McDonald’s locations in early June.  
(Source: Tri-County News, photo credit Mark Sherry)
Uptown Commons Holds Groundbreaking on Chilton Addition
City of Chilton officials and Horizon Development Group marked the beginning of a new construction project in Chilton on Wednesday, August 8. An official ground breaking ceremony took place at the construction site of Uptown Commons II, a 24-unit affordable senior housing project located at 29 W. Main St. The project is directly next door to the 40-unit Uptown Commons apartment community that opened in 2009.
(Source: Tri-County News, photo credit Mark Sherry)
Free Business Counseling Offered
Once a month, a counselor with the Green Bay Small Business Development Center meets with entrepreneurs and existing business owners at the Calumet County Courthouse in Chilton. These free, individual business counseling sessions are held to help answer questions and put businesses and entrepreneurs in a better position to make the best decisions for themselves and their businesses. 

To schedule an appointment with the business counselor, contac t Mary Kohrell using the information provided below. The next sessions will be held on August 21 and September 18.
Please forward to others you think would benefit from this newsletter.
Want to get on the mailing list? Sign up here .