Page 40 - Innovation Delaware 2018

ADVANCED MATERIALS/MANUFACTURING
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COMPANY TO WATCH
It’s a long way from the surface of Mars to the tunnels beneath New York City, but it’s just a short distance for the folks at ILC Dover. It’s all about having the right technology — and the imagination to know how to apply that technology to diverse situations.
In recent years, New
Pharmaceuticals has been an important market for the company ever since.
Another aerospace market for ILC Dover, one less technically complicated
ILC Dover
FRAN DINUZZO
York City transportation tunnels have been inundated with seawater from storms such as Hurricane Sandy. ILC Dover’s technology has helped mitigate the effects of flooding. “The flood technology — the tunnel plugs — is an extension of the same technology that ILC Dover used as landing bags for the Mars Rover,” explains FRAN DINUZZO, president and CEO of the Frederica-based technology and materials company. And with the advent of more- massive coastal storms, the company’s products are
an important instrument in reducing the loss of property and lives.
Founded in 1947, ILC Dover became known
in the Space Era of the 1960s as the company that
used flexible performance materials to fashion NASA space suits. And, like many other firms, it took the knowledge it gained from trips to the moon and to Mars to help solve earthly problems.
“The evolution started in the 1990s — before I joined the company — when the pharmaceuticals company Eli Lilly was looking for technology that could protect its employees from the sometimes-
toxic environment in manufacturing,” DiNuzzo explains. Medical compounds throw off concentrated dusts while being compressed into
pill form. The solution ILC Dover developed was a food-grade, anti-static film that could be used to protect against the dust.
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Q&A
RICKY NIETUBICZ: Delaware makes a lot of sense for any
RICKY NIETUBICZ
Mishimoto
Mishimoto was founded in 2003 and is now the world leader in performance cooling products for everyday driving, the racing circuit, and for bikes and trucks.
RICKY NIETUBICZ
company such as Mishimoto that depends on distribution. As you know, it’s centrally located for the East Coast, with great transportation links.
Q: Are you taking a breath where you are, or are you still pushing growth?
RN: Right now, we’ve expanded to three buildings in our industrial park, and we also have a facility in Sparks, Nev. Here in Delaware, we’re also getting ready to dedicate a new East Coast warehouse. Beyond the U.S., Mishimoto is also expanding internationally, and we have facilities in the U.K. and Australia. Our products are sold around the world.
talked with Ricky Nietubicz, Mishimoto’s communications head, about what’s in store for this Delaware growth company.
Q: How did Mishimoto come to be headquartered in Delaware?
Headquartered in New Castle, it employs almost 100 people who are involved in activities from research to marketing. We
38 DelawareBusinessTimes.com