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Monday, April 30, 2007

Dear XsunX, Please "Consider Kansas City"


Consider Kansas City is a phrase I find myself using more and more. I fire off random emails to companies whenever I hear about one having plans to expand or relocate. Unfortunately my credentials of "failed politician" and "blogger" do not carry much cachet with prospective employers. The responses I do receive have been lukewarm.

The latest object of my affection is a California company called XsunX. They are planning on building a manufacturing facility (note to city leaders, this is considered "job creation") to produce a 5-megawatt modular solar panel to meet increasing demands for solar cell products that are integrated into buildings and houses.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, we are located in a state that is singularly focused on corn liquor, err I mean ethanol. XsunX Chief Operating Officer Joe Grimes is quoted as saying "We plan to build our first facility where we find the best access to government support and a qualified work force. We are paying special attention to opportunities in California, Massachusetts and, of course, Colorado where our current facilities are located."

If I can manage to find Mr. Grimes' email address I'm sure if I receive any reply at all it will consist of a "thank you for your interest" and "we'll take it under consideration." Too bad. I think Kansas City would be a fantastic place for some hi-tech manufacturing.

I won't stop trying though.

Comments on "Dear XsunX, Please "Consider Kansas City""

 

Anonymous Keith Sader said ... (4:57 PM) : 

Some areas around KC are perfect for these types of businesses, Olathe and Garmin come to mind, but in the KC metro area the tax structure and education level hurt our competitive stance.

You knew this already though :-)

 

Blogger Nightmare said ... (6:42 PM) : 

I was thinking that they weren't so hip on the KC area due to our lower amount of annual sun. Unlike the sunny-ness and tax breaks allowed for those other places.

 

Anonymous missspider said ... (9:45 PM) : 

Unfortunately we still have well respected Kansas City businessmen/dinosaurs touting the virtues of investing time and resources into becoming a "biomed" center of the country. I think the biomed plan is shortsighted. Biomed is complex, litigious, expensive, and its business model could be substantially altered by a much needed change in our nation's health care system making it significantly less profitable.

How many brown-outs, ice storms and other major power catastrophes will it take to get these dinosaurs realize that “new energy” is where it’s at?

 

Blogger Mark said ... (7:59 AM) : 

Keith,

I think our educational level is fine. Having worked at Honeywell, our manufacturing facility didn't require a college degree and they were assembling complicated avionics. I think we can supply plenty of labor for light industry.

Nightmare,

Keep in mind Massachusetts has a large concentration of solar manufacturers and they average about 4 kWh/m(2)/day. KC is actually a tad higher, closing in on 5 kWh/m(2)/day. My solar powered water fountain really gets rocking through the mid-day hours.

I feel a follow-up post coming on. Stay tuned...

 

Blogger Mark said ... (8:00 AM) : 

misspider,

I agree about the biomed thing. The "all our eggs in one basked" approach has never worked in Kansas City.

 

Blogger m.toast said ... (2:54 PM) : 

>Unfortunately for Kansas City, we are located in a state that is singularly focused on corn liquor, err I mean ethanol.

Yeah. But all the giddiness about ethanol may not last too long. Initial pollution estimates don't look good.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6563255.stm

 

Blogger Mark said ... (3:01 PM) : 

Toast,

As long as our governor's brother is in the ethanol business the giddiness will continue methinks.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (6:51 AM) : 

Xsunx-Caveat emptor:

http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=XSNX.OB

 

Anonymous Mark said ... (5:19 AM) : 

Diddle!

 

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