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12 | I NSIGH T • D e c e m b e r 2 0 15 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m REGIONAL ROUNDUP U P F R O N T For links to economic development groups in the New North, visit www.thenewnorth.com/partners. Development in the New North B y S e a n P. J o h n s o n » THE NORTHWOODS Florence, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto Counties Marinette Marine begins work on USS Billings Shipbuilders at Fincantieri Marinette Marine have begun work on the 15th Littoral Combat Ship to be constructed at the company's shipyards with the keel laying ceremony for the future USS Billings. Led by primary contractor Lockheed Martin, ship sponsor Sharla D. Tester authenticated the keel of LCS 15 and watched as her initials were welded into a sheet of the ship's steel, which ultimately will be mounted in the ship throughout its entire service. "LCS 15 is the next ship to make the journey through our shipyard before joining the fleet, and will carry the spirit of Billings and this dedicated industry team, as she sails the globe," says Jan Allman, president and CEO of Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Billings is a flexible Freedom- variant LCS that will be designed and outfitted with systems to conduct a variety of missions. e industry team building Billings has delivered three ships with seven others in various stages of construction and testing. e nation's first LCS, USS Freedom, completed a U.S. Navy deployment in 2013, and USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) is in the midst of its 20-month deployment to Southeast Asia. e future USS Milwaukee (LCS 5) was commissioned in Milwaukee on Nov. 21. » INTERSTATE 41 CORRIDOR Brown, Calumet, Outagamie, Winnebago, Fond du Lac Counties State's first manufacturing mall opens in Neenah e state's first-ever manufacturing mall — where four businesses will collaborate and share customers — has opened its doors in Neenah. A one-stop shop for everything from engineering and product prototypes to metal fabrication and machine maintenance, the 12,000-square-foot building houses Grassroots Machining, Industrial Machine Services, J.W. Welding and Northern Compressor. In addition to sharing products, services and sometimes customers, the four businesses all have connections to Fox Valley Technical College, which took part in the November dedication event. "In 21st-century business, collaboration is the stuff of growth," says Amy Pietsch, director of the college's Venture Center. "We are building a community of entrepreneurs and business owners who are able to stay connected and collaborate." "Ruben and his Action Painting crew have been some of the most organized, conscientious, and responsive contractors I have had the opportunity to work with. We will certainly use Action Painting again in the future and will gladly recommend them to others who are looking for top quality at fair prices." – Sondra Norder, NHA, JD President & CEO, St. Paul Elder Services, Inc. 920-739-3682 actionpaintingservices.com We treat every project with attention to detail and high level of expertise. 920 751 4200 MCMGRP.COM THE McMAHON GROUP OF COMPANIES McMAHON ASSOCIATES INC McMAHON INC INTEGRATED PUBLIC RESOURCES LLC Architecture BIM Electrical/Controls Environmental Funding Strategies & Grant Assistance GIS Development HVAC/Plumbing Industrial Engineering Land Surveying LEED ® Certification Parks/Recreation Site Development Stormwater Mgt. Structural Engineering Transportation Wastewater Water Supply Construction Services Design/Build Public/Private Partnerships THE McMAHON WAY… values. culture. relationships. A welder authenticates the keel by welding the initials of LCS 15 sponsor Sharla Tester onto the keel plate. The keel laying is the formal recognition of the start of the ship's module construction process. C O U R T E S Y L O C K H E E D M A R T I N