A new partnership highlights the benefits for utilities that help remove barriers to local business growth
AMES—Alliant Energy has partnered with Iowa State University’s Center for Industrial Research and Service to improve the ability of Iowa manufacturers to implement new digital technologies and increase productivity. The new ISU Digital Manufacturing Lab, powered by Alliant Energy, will educate Iowa businesses about these technologies, such as collaborative robots and advanced vision systems, helping them to explore the ways automation might enhance their workforce and grow their companies.
“The next new idea or machine could hold the key to success that a growing company needs,” said Joel Schmidt, vice president of business development for Alliant Energy. “This lab provides the perfect opportunity to refine a new approach before it is introduced into the workplace.”
Alliant Energy is committing more than $100,000 to the new lab. It is the largest private gift to CIRAS in the center’s 55-year history.
Mike Wagner, spokesperson for Alliant Energy, told American Gas, “Some people wonder, when they look at this project, what an energy company is doing being involved in something like this. But we have a lot of conversations about economic development and the value of removing barriers to business. The more barriers we can remove, the more our customers win—and the more we win. That’s why it makes sense for Alliant Energy to support CIRAS.”
The CIRAS lab will help companies explore ways to get more done with the same number of workers, by implementing technologies designed for improved productivity.
“Just trying to add more workers is difficult,” Wagner told us. “The lab will work with you to help automate those processes so you can help workers do more things. And then our job is to help power those solutions.
“We have employers in the area who are wanting to expand or employers considering locating here, and they all have workforce situations that they’re trying to solve. This is an opportunity to help them solve those issues and move to or expand in Iowa. When our commercial and industrial customers grow and become more successful, that gives us the scale needed to help reduce costs for all of our customers.”
CIRAS and Alliant Energy also will establish adjoining spaces in the ISU Research Park so that Alliant can complement the CIRAS effort to help manufacturers identify and implement digital technologies.
“It’s a great way to leverage our expertise to help our customers and community,” Wagner said.