North Bay Business Journal

Women in Business 2009: Technology: CamelBak leader finds similar lessons in outdoors and office

PETALUMA – Since her first backpacking trip at age 5, Sally McCoy knew she loved the outdoors. Her passion for business came much later.

But the combination produced a one-of-a-kind individual: a woman who is equally at home in a boardroom or on a mountaintop.

Efficient-cooling startup Core4 to launch

NAPA – Core4 Systems, which applied its energy-saving cooling solutions to Sonic.net’s server room in Santa Rosa, is ready to take its product to a huge and growing market.

Metal anodizing firm Milner’s gets key accreditation

SANTA ROSA – Long-time local metal shop Milner’s Anodizing has gained an accreditation that allows it to work with aerospace and defense suppliers. It’s the first and only company in Northern California that can offer the certified high-quality metal finishing services.

BioMarin hits stride, adding staff, revenues

NOVATO — BioMarin (Nasdaq: BMRN) has added 100 employees during the last 12 months and looks to expand its 700-member staff even more by 2010, said CEO Jean Jacques Bienaimé.

Marin firm moves manufacturing back to U.S.

NOVATO – After eight years of manufacturing its products in China, CP Lab Safety in Novato has transferred most of the operations to a Sonoma County contract manufacturer. According to CP Lab President Kelly Farhangi, shifting global economics now make it more feasible for small and mid-size companies to use local manufacturers. “For us the [...]

Resources for manufacturers subject of forum

SANTA ROSA – Manufacturing and supply chain principals are invited to a complimentary half-day summit sponsored by the Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce, Comerica Bank and Moss Adams LLP.

Brad Bollinger: ‘3-2-3’ campaign: three years, 2,000 jobs, $300 million in sales

It’s easy to conclude from last week’s news that 3M will close its 100-employee Petaluma plant that manufacturing in the 101 corridor has no future.

KriStar sees future for stormwater cubes

SANTA ROSA — Water-quality regulators increasingly want property owners and builders to keep as much rainwater and sediment on site for as long as possible, and a longtime local manufacturer of stormwater- and erosion-management products is expanding and launching a new line of products to address the trend.

Alcan Packaging plans to make screw caps in American Canyon

AMERICAN CANYON — There are now two manufacturers of screw caps for wine bottles planning to start making caps in Napa Valley.

A cool solution for increasingly hot computers

NAPA — As computer data centers are in hot demand to serve up an increasing amount of digital information at ever-faster speeds, a local climate-control system and plumbing contractor is providing a cool solution.

Germany’s Mala plans Napa screw cap plant

NAPA — German beverage screw cap manufacturer Mala Verschluss-Systeme GmbH plans to start production of the closures in Napa for the U.S. wine business by the end of this decade.

Codding Enterprises builds steel-framing factory

ROHNERT PARK — Codding Enterprises is bringing manufacturing back to the former Agilent Technologies campus in Rohnert Park. But instead of electronic equipment, Codding’s new venture will produce light-steel structural panels for building homes, offices, schools and other structures.

Countertop maker has aggressive growth plans

SONOMA — Stephen Rosenblatt and Dave Jensen are riding a wave of popularity in high-end kitchen and bath finishes. Eyeing a market projected to enjoy strong growth in the next few years, they plan to take their Sonoma Cast Stone architectural concrete manufacturing business nationwide.