Tag: Economic Development

In celebration of its 40th anniversary, LDA Engineering has made a $500,000 renewed commitment to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and also has dedicated $120,000 in college scholarship funds.

The company has invested in STEM and additional engineering education and outreach in all of its markets, and in 2015 pledged to reach $250,000 in 10 years. This year, the team reached that level in donations, pro bono work and volunteer hours and decided to celebrate 40 successful years by doubling the commitment. LDA Engineering’s new goal is to reach $500,000 in contributions by 2030.

“STEM professions like engineering are a cornerstone of the economy, and young people are the future of our profession,” said Jason Brooks, CEO of LDA Engineering. “Through support of nonprofits and educational groups in our markets in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Tri-Cities, Nashville and Memphis, we’re blessed to share our passion for engineering with students at a young age to open their minds to the possibilities.

“I became even more driven to encourage the next generation of engineers when my daughter, Mary-James, and son, Hall, came along. Women still only account for 27% of the engineering workforce, and I believe that early exposure and encouragement in STEM subjects will make a difference in people choosing engineering as their calling.”

LDA Engineering also announced three scholarships to promote engineering education, totaling $120,000. The University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Tech University and Maryville College each will receive $40,000. The Tennessee Tech scholarship was dedicated to longtime employee and company partner Steve Bostic.

The current number of engineering professionals would need to grow by at least 15% to replace baby boomers aging out of the market, according to a 2021 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

LDA Engineering aims to address that gap by partnering with organizations such as STEM Scouts of the Great Smoky Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America; Future City Competition, Tennessee region; United Way of Blount County; and Adventure Science Center.    

The firm estimated that more than 3,500 students have been impacted by LDA’s efforts so far.

“We want to say thank you to our clients for their belief in us, driving our recent growth and allowing us to give back to the next generation of STEM industry professionals,” Brooks said. “Every one of our 40 years is a testament to the support of the communities that LDA Engineering serves.”

For more information about LDA Engineering’s 40th anniversary celebrations and community involvement, follow the firm on social media at @LDAEngineering or visit ldaengineering.com/updates.

Representatives from the Blount Partnership in Blount County recently attended the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s 2022 Governor’s Conference in Nashville. During the event, attendees heard from Governor Bill Lee and TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, as well as CBS Sports Lead Play-by-Play Announcer Jim Nantz and a host of other speakers who discussed topics ranging from entrepreneurship to workforce to foreign direct investment and the programs that help build strong communities throughout the state.

ThreeStar Community Development Certification efforts were recognized with county representatives, along with Commissioner McWhorter and TNECD Community Development Director Jody Sliger. ThreeStar serves to promote economic and community prosperity through collaboration to positively impact every Tennessean.

Pictured L-R: TNECD business development consultant Michelle Scarbrough, TNECD business development consultant Crystal Bryant, Blount Partnership economic development assistant Jennifer Wilson, TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter, Blount Partnership economic development director Lauren Emert, TNECD East Tennessee regional director Gary Human, TNECD community development director Jody Sliger.

AESSEAL partner company, the reliability consultants AVT Reliability Limited® (AVTR), is pleased to announce the receipt of almost $10 million of new orders globally for its Cloud/Internet of Things and Remote Data Centre (RDC) business, collectively branded as Machine Sentry.

This technology allows reliability engineers to collect and monitor data on the health of factory machinery all over the world, in order to ensure reliable performance, avoiding breakdowns and potential environmental accidents. 

The largest contract is for the remote collection and analysis of data on off-shore platforms.  Other significant wins have been in the USA in Pulp and Paper, a UK based water authority and a 24 plant global roll-out in the cement industry.

A recent installation in Togo, Africa at a facility that had never previously engaged in Condition Monitoring demonstrated how quickly a plant can be surveyed, gateways and wireless internet of things Machine Sentry sensors installed and training provided.

Chris Rea Managing Director of AES Engineering Ltd, the holding company of both the AVTR and AESSEAL groups said:  “This technology means that it is both practical and cost effective to deliver a Condition Monitoring solution in Africa within a week and provide professional support in a remote data centre more than 3,000 miles away. This demonstrates that the Fifth Industrial Revolution is a reality”.

The orders coincide with the launch of a new Machine Sentry Fixed Wireless Data Collector, Machine Sentry Fixed 02 (MSF-02), which has dramatically improved performance compared to the original Machine Sentry Fixed Wireless Data Collector launched in 2017.

The original product had a range of 50 feet and maximum of 25 could be connected to a single gateway. MSF 02 has a range of over 300 feet (100 metres) and up to 100 can be connected to a single gateway with almost instantaneous data transfer to The Cloud and Remote Data Centres. The RDCs can either be manned by the user or by the reliability professionals that work for AVTR®.

The company says that the price point for wireless data collection, storage in The Cloud, automated reporting and diagnosis and human analysis, makes the technology both practical and affordable. MSF 02 is being sold at the same price as the original version, which was itself state of the art when brought to market in 2017. 

AES Engineering Ltd, AVTR’s holding company, based in Rotherham South Yorkshire, has produced a kids’ video as part of its outreach programme. The video takes a minute to explain The Internet of Things and The Cloud, an industry sector that they believe is destined to grow massively.

View video.

AESSEAL recently received independent Verification from British Standards (BSI) that its global business operation is now Net Zero Scope 1, 2, and 3.

By investing $40 million in environmentally friendly projects, AESSEAL achieved Net Zero status seven years ahead of its 2029 goal.

Net Scope standards are related to both direct and indirect emissions from the company as well as those linked to its worldwide operations.

Its Rockford, Tenn., location recently purchased Green Energy from TVA and is expected to be self-supporting and require no energy from TVA. Those efforts included the addition of solar panels, battery storage units, tinted windows, and updated LED lighting across the entire facility. In addition to planting trees, employees were educated on the benefits of green energy. Future plans include installing environmental and economically-sound HVAC units. Finally, these endeavors have helped its North American customers offset nearly 375,000 tonnes of C02e.

Additionally, AESSEAL is ahead of its five-year plan to double the size of its North American business and has several open positions.

With the idea that STEM education can shape the future, AESSEAL recognizes the importance of education and equipping future leaders by meeting the demand for STEM-skilled employees. As these fields continue to expand, the number of open positions continues to increase.  

AESSEAL, which employs a variety of positions, including engineers, wants to engage with the school systems to encourage young people to think about engineering as a profession. As such, it created a video that it deployed in the UK.

View video.

Nashville-based developer Ramston Capital will invest between $70-80 million to construct the first mixed-use residential development project in Pellissippi Place, a research and technology-based park, located off Old Knoxville Highway and Pellissippi Parkway in Alcoa, Tenn., the Industrial Development Board of Blount County and the cities of Alcoa and Maryville (IDB) announced today.

“This is a tremendous step in the development of Pellissippi Place which is a collaborative effort of the cities of Alcoa and Maryville, Blount County, and Knox County,” said IDB chair Matt Murray. “These four entities worked together to achieve this special component and it will certainly lead to further development in the park.”

The four-story urban product is projected to be completed in early 2024. The development includes residential living space, retail shops, and restaurants. The design ties into the overall concept of the park which furnishes a place where professionals can live and work while providing nearby access to the Blount County greenway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for leisure activities.

Visit www.PellissippiPlace.com for more information about the park.