Innovative Strategies To Mitigate Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions

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Montana is known for it’s beautiful wildlife, which is a major drawpoint for tourists. Wildlife-related activities generate around $100 million in tax revenue for the state.

Sadly, collisions with motor vehicles are common. According to State Farm Insurance, Montana ranks second for vehicle collisions with deer, elk and moose. Around 13,300 deer are hit by a car in Montana each year, adding up to around $79.8 million in car repairs and other costs, or $6,000 per collision. Costs are even higher per vehicle for elk and moose at $17,000 and $30,000 respectively.

Wildlife organisations are advocating more overpasses and underpasses for wildlife to reduce this risk, which are around 86% effective. These generally cost around $1 to $2 million to build and help animals migrate across the country safely. When compared to the cost of lives and vehicle damage over the years, it makes sense to invest in this area.

During the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation, the science behind wildlife-vehicle mitigation tactics was discussed. Speakers presented on ways to improve the coexistence of road infrastructure and wildlife habitats.

Innovation and research is necessary to further mitigate wildlife-vehicle collisions, including tracking wildlife movements and improving animal detection systems and road design. Currently, the most effective measures, with a 100% success rate, are elevated roadways and road tunnels, yet they are very costly to implement.

Canada and other states are implementing innovative strategies, including the highway built through Banff National Park, which ensured that nearly every mile of road had at least one passage for wildlife. This has reduced collisions by over 80 percent. Working with other states and identifying opportunities to address this issue will bring benefits for the animals, humans and the Montana’s economy.

While Montana does not have a state research and development tax credit, companies creating new knowledge in an attempt to solve a problem are likely eligible for the federal research and development tax credit. To find out whether your activities qualify, contact Swanson Reed R&D Consultants for a free assessment.

Wyoming to House America’s Largest Wind Farm

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Billionaire Philip Anschutz is building America’s largest windfarm in Carbon County, Wyoming. The wind farm’s 1000 turbines will generate enough electricity to power all of San Francisco and Los Angeles.  The project will cost $8 billion, with $100 million already invested.

Wyoming has some of the strongest winds in the country due to air funneling through from the Rocky Mountains. However, the project is facing backlash and many Wyoming citizens believe that the farm will have a negative effect on the state’s coal industry as well as create an eyesore.

The only state to tax wind power, Wyoming’s lawmakers are pushing for an increase in the renewable energy tax from $1 to $3 or $5 per megawatt hour. Opposers fear that this will push wind developers away and result in a loss of new jobs. Economist Robert Godby suggests instead that the state provides a tax break to developers building wind farms to create jobs and opportunities.

Other wind projects in the state include Viridis Eolia’s $3 billion wind farm and Rocky Mountain Power’s $3 billion wind farm and transmission line.

John Hensley, Deputy Director of industry data and analysis for the American Wind Energy Association believes that Wyoming could lose a major opportunity if it doesn’t soon accept wind power.

Globally, wind power is growing at around 25% per annum and the US aims to produce at least 20 percent of its electricity with wind power by 2030. To ensure future wind power growth, the technology must keep evolving to improve reliability and capacity and reduce costs. If your company is conducting research and development activities relating to renewable energy, it may be eligible for the research and development tax credit. Contact Swanson Reed R&D Tax Advisors to learn more.

$100 million R&D center to be built in Michigan

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The multinational chemical corporation, Dow Chemicals, has announced construction to begin for a $100 million research and development center in Midland, Michigan. The 100,000 square foot R&D facility will accommodate for approximately 200 employees and will consist of research labs and office spaces.

Dow’s new R&D center will generate approximately 100 new jobs in the fields of silicone science and organic chemistry and the facility is projected to be completed in 2019.

CEO of Dow Chemicals chose the location of Michigan, as the state is proving to be a vibrant research, development and manufacturing sector, which is showing great potential and continuously creating new opportunities.

Dow recently also celebrated the grand opening of its 184,000 square foot, six story global headquarters in Midland, which is located only 5 miles from the future R&D center. The headquarters houses approximately 470 employees and had a construction focus on sustainability, which will be replicated in the upcoming construction of Dow’s R&D center.

Dow has definitely established itself as a global company, employing 56,000 people worldwide and having reported sales of $48 billion in 2016. This signifies the importance of investing into R&D as it will allow the company to focus on innovation and remaining competitive on a global scale.

For companies that are investing in R&D, the research and development tax credit is a valuable tool.  If you would like to discuss the R&D Tax credit further, please contact a Swanson Reed’s R&D tax advisors today.

State-of-the-art Electronics Plant to Be Built in Wisconsin

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Electronics manufacturer Foxconn has announced plans to build a $10 billion, 1.6 square mile production facility in southeastern Wisconsin, which is expected to initially create 3,000 jobs. Over the next four years, the factory is estimated to support 10,000 jobs and 6,000 indirect jobs.

The plant will supply state-of-the-art LCD screens for use in autonomous cars, aircraft systems, surveillance, office automation and more. Foxconn is the largest contract assembler of iPhones and other Apple devices. It also supplies gadgets to Google and Amazon.

Six other states were in the running for the facility but Wisconsin won due to proposed tax incentives. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said that he will call a legislative session to discuss incentives, which will include up to $1.5 billion in income tax credits for creating jobs and $1.3 billion in income tax credits for capital investment.

The display fabrication plant will be built close to Lake Michigan, whose water supply will be necessary to help keep work spaces dust-free.

The plant is supposedly the first in a series of facilities to be built in the US, according to Foxconn CEO Terry Gou, and will be part of an 8K+5G ecosystem. Gou states that the US does not currently have the ability “to produce a complete 8K system,” which is the current highest ultra high definition television resolution. “We are going to change that and it starts today with this investment in Wisconsin,” he declared.

Foxconn has offices in nine US states that conduct manufacturing, R&D, sales, servicing and assembly. They also operate in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

Biologics Center To Carry Out Nutrition R&D

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The South Dakota Center for Biologics Research and Commercialization (CBRC) will receive over $3.8 million for a five-year R&D partnership from the Governor’s Research Center Program. The partnership was established by the South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota. Started a year ago with a planning grant from the South Dakota Governor’s Office on Economic Development, the project focuses on the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal disorders by developing products to improve bacterial balance in the digestive tract.

Researchers from the basic biomedical sciences department at the USD Sanford Medical School and the veterinary and biomedical sciences, health and nutritional sciences and biology and microbiology departments of SDSU will work on the team, along with industry scientists Stephen Hermann and Hasmukh Patel.

Much of the center’s initial work will concentrate on ways to improve health and nutrition by developing probiotics, diagnostic reagents and tests, vaccines, nutraceuticals and immunotherapies. The vaccine development work will likely prioritize influenza. Head of the SDSU Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Jane Christopher-Hennings said that the goal was a universal vaccine, as it could cross subtypes and species.

Another aim is to provide economic growth for South Dakota through value-added agriculture and agribusiness. The products developed will be licensed and commercialized by industry partners, who have contributed $1.7 million in sponsored research agreements.

While the initial work will carry on projects that have already been established, ongoing work will address the need for alternatives to antibiotics. The products developed will provide physicians and veterinarians with alternatives. Furthermore, despite the work currently involving terrestrial animal production, working with aquaculture species may be a possibility in the future.

European animal health company opening R&D site in Pennsylvania

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A European based animal health company is planning the opening of a research and development complex in Lincoln Pennsylvania.

Huvepharma is a Bulgarian based global pharmaceutical company which has a focus on developing, manufacturing and marketing animal health products.

The facility will consist of a 30,000 square-foot complex on an 8.6 acre site, which will focus on researching and producing vaccines, feed additives and animal health products.

Huvepharma plans to build two connected buildings on the site consisting of offices, microbiology labs and extensive animal research facilities, specializing in vaccine testing and development.

This Pennsylvania headquarters project is estimated to cost $4.67 million and will create several new jobs for local job seekers within the research industry. The facility will also spark additional business opportunities for suppliers in Pennsylvania and surrounding states.

A great amount of Huvepharma’s success lies in the internal R&D conducted and ultimately this has been a significant driving factor in making it such an established and successful global company. The following R&D center will aid in further strengthening and advancing its research and production and will allow for the company to continue growing and developing.

The Government offers significant Tax Credits to company’s incorporating R&D into their business. If you believe your business may be eligible, contact a Swanson Reed R&D Tax Advisor for an assessment.

Market leading company opens new R&D center is South Carolina

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Techtronic Industries (TTI) is the global leader in design, manufacturing and marketing of quality consumer, professional and industrial products. TTI has begun a $75 million expansion of its Power Equipment Group’s operations in Anderson County, South Carolina.  The expansion will consist of a new 300,000 square foot Innovation Center and the creation of approximately 250 new jobs over several years.

TTI’s presidents explained that their continued investment in the company’s people and product innovation is pivotal to the overall company successes. The new world-class research campus will provide an exceptional environment for fostering the development of talented associates and industry leading products.

The decision to carry out the expansion in Anderson County further strengthens the company’s position in South Carolina’s manufacturing industry. Additionally, the significant investment and the creation of new employment opportunities will make a positive difference to the lives of South Carolina residence.

The company has been continuing to grow and invest into research and development over the past years. Just two years ago it significantly invested into an $85 million distribution center project, which created 200 jobs, and now TTI continues its company growth and development plans with the following announcement of another significant investment.

Governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley, looks forward to seeing the impact the fantastic company continues to have on the state for several years to come and TTI are optimistic about a successful and innovation filled future.

Is your company carrying out qualified research and development activities? Did you know it could qualify for an R&D State Tax Credit? Contact a Swanson Reed R&D Tax Advisor today to find out more and receive an eligibility assessment. We look forward to speaking with you.

New Jersey company revolutionizing farming

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In New Jersey, an innovative farming concept is completely converting traditional farming to become more sustainable and reliable.

According to the U.S Geological Survey, 70 percent of all consumed freshwater is used for agriculture and only half of this can be recycled. In addition, agriculture farming also consumes huge swaths of land and is greatly dependent on stable environmental conditions to grow high quality crops and produce.

AeroFarms is an innovative company, which believes it has a much better farming solution that will be more environmentally friendly and also provide a more stable farming environment. The company’s method requires no soil, sunlight, very little water and takes place indoors. In fact, any indoor location could be a possible fertile growing ground despite what the locations outdoor climate is.

AeroFarms stems from the initial concept of Professor Ed Harwood, who invented a new system for growing plants in a cloth material he created. There was no need for dirt use beneath the cloth and the plant roots were sprayed with nutrient-rich mist.

Harwood received a patent for his invention and founded Aero Farm Systems, which refers to ‘aeroponics’, meaning the method of growing plants without placing them in soil or water. However this company was purely a side project for Harwood and did not generate much revenue.

In 2011, David Rosenberg and Marc Oshima began exploring potential new methods to resolve the inefficiencies of traditional farming. They sensed an opportunity when coming across Aero Farm Systems and liked what Harwood had developed so much that they asked to come on-board as co-founders.

Rosenberg and Oshima proposed a change to the company’s business model and saw a bigger opportunity in optimizing the growing process and selling the crops themselves. From here the company became ‘AeroFarms’ and began to open facilities in New Jersey which consisted of a steel mill, a club and a paint ball center and began converting them into indoor farms.

Today, the farms grow and sell a large amount of produce to grocers such as, Whole Foods, ShopRite and Fresh Direct, as well as to dining halls at businesses like Goldman Sachs and the New York Times.

As the company is easily able to set up centers close to their customers and are not affected by external environmental conditions, they are able to ensure local and fresh growing all year round. As transport is therefore reduced, costs for the fresh produce are able to be kept to a minimum.

Through research and development carried out, AeroFarms can collect hundreds of thousands of data points at each facility, allowing altering of LED lighting to control taste, texture, color and nutrition. Additionally, the data also helps the company adjust variables like temperature and humidity to optimize its crop yields.

AeroFarms has proven to be 130 times more productive per square foot annually than a field farm. An AeroFarm also uses 95 percent less water than a field farm, 40 percent less fertilizer than traditional farming and no pesticides.

Leafy greens make up most of the company’s output and would traditionally take 30-45 days to grow, however with the AeroFarm method it can take as little as 12 days.

New Jersey’s new AeroFarm headquarters in Newark will be the world’s most productive indoor farm by output once it reaches full capacity. The farm consists of a dedicated R&D center, plant scientists, microbiologists, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers.

AeroFarms do still have some hurdles to overcome before it can claim to be a practical solution for replacing all the world’s farms. One significant problem is the large amount of electricity required, which is costly and also offsets much of the good done by preserving water due to the large carbon footprint it creates. Never the less, AeroFarms is working hard to address such problems and is optimistic about research findings into more energy efficient strategies.

To date AeroFarms employs 120 people across nine farms and plans to reach 25 farms within the next five years. The company has raised more the $100 million and continues to develop and spread its concept worldwide. Oshima says, “From day one, this has been about having an impact around the world,” and this is precisely what the company will continue striving to achieve.

New Jersey has several R&D tax credits available for certain qualifying R&D activities. If your company is engaging in R&D, it may qualify. Contact a Swanson Reed R&D Tax Adviser today to receive an assessment and discuss your R&D incentive eligibility.

IKEA is going to Mars?

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While IKEA is commonly known as the Swedish King of flat packs and the ‘build your own furniture’ company, the design team are now taking on an entirely new venture.. or should we say an entirely new planet!

Recently the IKEA design team traveled to and lived inside the Mars Desert Research Center in Utah for three days. The visit was intended for their space-inspired furniture collection scheduled to launch in 2019 as well the possibility of IKEA actually making it to Mars one day!

The center is operated by the NASA Mars Society and simulates a Mars environment for humans taking part in experiments and training. Astronauts spend long periods of time inside this research center to prepare themselves for space flights and ultimately the future endeavors of one day exploring the actual planet Mars.

The IKEA designers were able to learn about how space affects an entire design process by gaining a firsthand insight of how the designing of furniture is affected by the demanding space environmental forces.

As air is very limited in space and must be reused for many months or even years, this then reflects on the living materials as it must be designed with this in mind.

The creative leader of IKEA referred to the experience as “crazy and fun”. The team were completely isolated for three days and got first hand insights into what astronauts go through for three years. The research center consists of a tight two story space which is only eight meters in diameter.

IKEA designers also learnt about the huge costs involved in space transportation, as it can cost about $2 million to transport just one kilo of mass to the surface of Mars.

While this currently makes it impractical for IKEA to send materials to Mars, it generated an entirely new design process perspective. Storage and furniture would need to be created in an entirely new and innovative way which is completely shifting from traditional methods.

Marcus Engman, Ikea’s Head of Design, said putting the designers in this demanding environment forced them to think much more creatively and ultimately producing completely innovative solutions. These solutions have the potential to work better than anything else ever seen on Earth.

IKEA designers will continue working with people from NASA and students from Sweden’s Lund University and are excited about the future of IKEA’s space-inspired collection.

Swanson Reed assist clients that have innovative businesses everyday to help them achieve the best R&D tax credit possible. If you think your business may be eligible for any R&D Tax Credit or would like to simplify the process, contact a Swanson Reed R&D Tax Adviser today.

Route 33 To Be Used for Autonomous Car Research

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An area of Route 33 will be used for vehicle-to-infrastructure communication tests for autonomous car research. $15 million is being invested in the Smart Mobility Corridor that will run between East Liberty and Dublin. The communication tests will allow autonomous vehicles to talk to highway systems and each other, which could help ease congestion.

Optic cable wiring will occur during the Summer of 2017, although there is no official launch date as yet. The wiring will allow researchers to obtain data from sensors placed along the road, where testing can begin. A partnership between Intel subsidiary Wind River and Ohio State University, the city of Dublin and the Transportation Research Center will be among the first to use the 35-mile section of Route 33 as a test area for self-driving cars. The area is ideal for many US manufacturers, who would prefer not to travel abroad for testing.

The research could be fundamental to the future of autonomous vehicles. A PR statement claimed that the project will aim to “increase the pace, quality and development, testing and deployment of self-driving and other connected vehicle technologies.” As well as testing communication between vehicles and infrastructures, tests will be carried out for related technologies including smart mapping and smart sensing.

The region around the Transportation Research Center has quickly grown into an emerging center for high-tech automotive research. Ohio is clearly emerging as a hub for smart vehicles. “Ohio is in a good position to capitalize on the research and development dollars being invested in future mobility initiatives,” said Michelle Krebs from Autotrader. “It already has a strong automotive base with Fiat Chrysler’s Jeep complex near Toledo and Honda’s significant research, development and manufacturing operations around Marysville.” Honda’s Ohio-based R&D Center is working on introducing autonomous vehicles by 2020 and aim to release a model that is almost completely autonomous by 2025.

If your company is participating in R&D, you may benefit from a state and federal tax credit. Ohio’s R&D Investment Tax Credit is 7% of the qualifying expenditures. Contact a Swanson Reed specialist for more information.