Manufacturing Quality Engineer - Incoming

KEDCO celebrates people, projects and possibilities. Deb Patterson, Editor in Chief ADVERTISING SYRACUSE - Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation's annual celebration focused on its new mission: connecting people, projects and possibilities. This year's celebration was held Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Oakwood Resort Event Center, Syracuse. The evening included a brief panel presentation, KEDCO highlights and a keynote presentation by Brady Maller, CEO of Polywood. Peggy Simmons, KEDCO CEO, recognized the community leaders, business partners and friends present who help move Kosciusko County forward. She noted the uniqueness of the county when comparing it to others. "We have 14 communities within our boundaries," she said. "We are fortunate." She mentioned a phrase County Commissioner Cary Groinger often says: "We're 14 different flavors of ice cream. We have something for everyone." Businesses explain 'why Kosciusko?' A panel of three business representatives gathered to answer the question, "Why Kosciusko?" The participants included John Kennedy, Autocam Medical; Mindy Brooks, director of marketing at CTB Inc.; and Will Nicholas, Slate Auto. The three shared their perspectives on why Kosciusko County continues to be a place where businesses choose to invest, locate and grow. Kennedy's response focused on what drew Autocam Medical to the county, the workforce and what continues to stand out about the people who work there. Opening in November, Kennedy noted the county is going to be a big part of the company's future and is already a part of its operations. "We are here for one reason - invest in people," he stated. The company also invests in technology, "already found great resources." The company is looking to add 200 additional employees in the future. Simmons noted there are times in life when certain moments occur that you know exactly where you were and what you were doing. "When we learned Slate Auto had chosen Warsaw and Kosciusko County as its location, we were with Autocam Medical. It was one of those moments you always remember where you were." Nicholas' response focused on what it was about the county and the community that made it the right place for Slate Auto to establish a presence. He noted the nationwide search and said the company talked to a lot of entities. With its headquarters in Detroit, "Indiana makes a lot of sense," he said. "We knew when we met with Mike Long and KEDCO and the council and commissioners collectively," he said. He noted the opportunity available on Old Road 30 and the company's ability to "be a part of the community, employ people, generate activity and produce a car this community can be proud of. We appreciate the community's acceptance and support." Agriculture remains part of county's heritage. While Warsaw is the orthopedic capital of the world and Slate Auto is adding advanced manufacturing, Simmons stated, "We also really appreciate the rich heritage of our agriculture community has invested and really put Kosciusko County on the map from everything from chickens to ducks, eggs to cows, pigs, crops. We just really appreciate that is such a rich heritage in our county." This segue led to the introduction of Brooks and the presence of CTB Inc., which has a long history in the county. Brooks was asked to focus on what continues to make Kosciusko County the right place for CTB to invest, grow and expand. Brooks noted CTB has been in Kosciusko County for almost 75 years, moving to Milford when the company was two years old. "The reason mainly was because of ag in the state, especially the poultry industry at that time. We've been able to grow internationally," she said. The company now has 46 facilities in 17 countries. The people and the employee base are what Brooks said have kept the company in Milford. She noted they have employees celebrating 30 to 40 years. "This," she noted, "was incredible and valuable." "We have longevity and knowledge that keeps us in the industry. The location continues to be ideal and, of course, the support of the town of Milford, KEDCO and the county to facilitate growth." Simmons pointed out the new expansion and said that, in all her years in economic development, the tax abatement approval from the town was the easiest. "These stories represent three important parts of economic development," Simmons said. "Attracting new investment, developing a strong workforce and supporting continued growth in the businesses that already call Kosciusko County home. They also remind us that economic development is more than a single project or an announcement. It's about creating an environment for businesses and people to build a future." Simmons noted this year marks an important year for KEDCO with the introduction of a new mission and a vision that more clearly expresses "who we are, who we serve and what we're working to accomplish together." The mission is "to connect people, projects and possibilities to grow prosperity for all of Kosciusko County," with a vision "for the purpose of life with every relationship we build, the projects we support and the opportunity we create." Maller highlights power of opportunity. Maller, who began on the production floor at POLYWOOD and rose to become CEO in May, was introduced by Simmons, who noted he would speak of hard work, leadership and a deep understanding of the company. He reflected on the opportunity that can be created when a company invests in its people and talented individuals have the opportunity to learn and grow. "Maller reflects the entrepreneurial spirit, innovation and opportunity that defines Kosciusko County," said Simmons. Maller recognized former CEO Doug Rassi, who was present. He noted Rassi was an extraordinary person, but also a leader, coach and mentor. It was by chance, Maller stated, that as a young man of 20 and needing a job, he met Rassi at an event. He was hired at $11.25 an hour and the next day drove 55 minutes to get to work. "Something that sets Doug above his peers is his passion to invest in young people," said Maller. "He has his own uncanny capacity to see the talent and capacity of anyone, and he's really looking for those he can invest in, and that's defined for those willing to take action... fundamentally and philosophically he cares about what you think about something, how you understand it. His leadership advice is, 'I'll provide the opportunity, but what you do with it, that is up to you.'" Maller also noted Rassi emphasized going commando - that is, the willingness to do everything for anything - "you see a problem and solve it." "You did whatever it took, keep an open mind as you never know what you'll discover. There is unlimited opportunity for growth and development." It was pointed out that 90% of the leaders at POLYWOOD are homegrown. "We develop leaders at POLYWOOD. There are a lot of leaders, players and coaches that set the tone of the culture and willing to make the hard decisions that are the best investments for the company." He shared some of those hard decisions, including how new products could be manufactured more efficiently and some of the reasons behind the company's growth. Approximately 250 community members attended the annual event.

Slate's $25,000 EV could become an electric van for just $3,000 more. Slate Auto is reportedly developing a high-roof cargo kit for its budget electric pickup, open to all buyers rather than fleet customers only. Sep 2, 2026 2:40 PM EDT News Editor None of this is officially confirmed by Slate yet, but the details are coming from an unusually credible source: a forum member who attended the company's own ride-along demo event in Portland and spoke directly with Slate's fleet sales lead. Between that account and matching details rendered by the Instagram account Slate Auto Mods, a clear picture has emerged of where Slate's modular parts catalog is headed next. Two roof options, built around the existing SUV kit. According to the Slateforums post, Slate's Fleet Business Development and Government Sales Lead, Christian Kreipke, described two cargo configurations: a standard "squareback" version sharing its shape with the SUV kit Slate already sells, and a taller high-roof version that adds a spoiler cap over the cab for a continuous roofline and standing headroom in back. Both are expected in black or white, with side panels configurable as blank, glass, or glass with lift struts and locks - and buyers can reportedly delete the rear cab glass and bulkhead entirely for a fully enclosed cargo area. Pricing starts around $3,000, roughly in line with the $5,000 premium Slate already charges for its existing SUV conversion. Open to everyone, not just fleets. The more interesting detail is who gets to buy it. Kreipke reportedly said the cargo kit - including the high-roof version - will be available to retail customers, not restricted to commercial fleet accounts the way Rivian has largely kept its EDV delivery van tied to Amazon. That opens the door to uses well outside the trades: van-life conversions, mobile vending setups, and small delivery operations that would otherwise be shopping used panel vans. It also positions Slate's modular approach against newer entrants like Telo's MT1, which starts north of $40,000 with no comparable cargo conversion - nearly double Slate's roughly $25,000 base price even before any kit is added. Still rumor until Slate says otherwise. Slate hasn't confirmed the kit, its pricing, or a timeline on any official channel, and the company remains focused on first customer deliveries, which it has previously targeted for late 2026. Kreipke reportedly also indicated the next-generation Slate would keep the same basic dimensions, a detail aimed less at retail buyers and more at giving aftermarket upfitters confidence to build for the platform without redesign risk. Whether that translates into an actual production cargo van, and at what real-world price, is still an open question. News Editor Yash Bajaj is an automotive research analyst with 10 years' EV market experience, specializing in quantitative analysis and industry economics. Based in Asia, he produces editorial and visual content, contributes to valuation research, and curates automotive events in India.