Department of Development | News Room

GOVERNOR TAFT AWARDS BATTELLE WITH 2005 THOMAS EDISON AWARD
Ten Other Technology-Oriented Ohio Companies Recognized

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2005

Columbus, OH -- Governor Bob Taft today announced that Battelle, a Columbus-based global leader in innovation, will receive the 2005 Thomas Edison Award. Ten technology-oriented Ohio companies will also be recognized with the Emerging Technology Awards.

“This year’s winners continue to build upon Ohio’s legacy as a worldwide leader in innovation,” Taft said. “These businesses have demonstrated a strong commitment to product development and job creation in Ohio, paving the way to a stronger, brighter future for Ohioans and the world at large. I commend these companies on their outstanding achievements.”

Each year the state presents an Ohio company with the Edison Award, to recognize global leadership in fostering or implementing innovation and in positively utilizing technology to impact its operation and the community. The award has been presented annually since 1993.

This year’s winner, Battelle, has been a global leader in innovation for more than 75 years. Headquartered in Columbus with several locations throughout Ohio, Battelle develops and commercializes technology and manages laboratories for customers. The organization is committed to “simultaneous excellence” in science and technology, laboratory operations, and community service. As a non-profit, charitable trust, Battelle returns 20 percent of its annual net income to the community.

Taft will also award ten Ohio companies with Emerging Technology Awards, recognizing their valuable progress in either advancing existing technologies or pursuing cutting-edge, emerging technological developments. The 2005 Emerging Technology Award winners are:


  • Applied Sciences, Inc. (ASI), Cedarville, is a leader in manufacturing technology development that complements the scientific breakthroughs demonstrated with carbon nanofibers and nanotubes.
    entrotech, inc., Columbus, is a cutting-edge, creative and proactive technological leader in developing film from advanced material solutions for a variety of high-tech industries.
    Imaging Systems Technology, Inc., Toledo, has developed the world’s first flexible plasma display using gas encapsulated micro spheres (Plasma-SpheresTM) as the pixel element.
    Midwest MicroDevices, Toledo, provides silicon foundry services for state-of-the-art MEMS products, which are silicon-based sensors with feature sizes a tenth the diameter of a human hair. MMD is one of four such foundries in North America.
    NanoSperse LLC, Akron, is a leader in design, development and supply of nanocomposites, including thermoplastic, thermoset and elastomeric polymers.
    Peerless Technologies Corp., Dayton, provides expert business and logistics, intelligence, and financial management services and solutions.
    Queen City Forging Company, Cincinnati, a metal components producer, utilizes Rapid Infrared Heating (RI), a revolutionary thermal technology, to increase processing speed and reduce costs while providing improved mechanical properties in aluminum components.
    Transmissions LLC, Cincinnati, an international software publisher, works with translation agencies and marketing groups to streamline the localization of Photoshop and Illustrator based material such as packaging, marketing collateral, and websites.
    Velocys, Inc., Plain City, is developing revolutionary processing systems that will provide chemical and energy companies with substantial capital cost savings, improved product yields and greater energy efficiency.


  • Zethus Software, Youngstown, is committed to bringing advanced computing solutions to businesses, focused on computer modeling for technology and engineering companies.


“In an increasingly competitive and technology-based economy, the success of our award winners proves that Ohio has the right business climate to help companies develop and commercialize new products,” added Lt. Governor and Director of the Ohio Department of Development Bruce Johnson. “From world-class research institutes to a highly trained workforce, we continue to demonstrate to observers around the world that Ohio Means Business.”


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