Tech Digest (11/15/2004)

• Governor Doyle to propose $1.3 million for manufacturing
• Australian biotech offers new stem cells freely
• Bone Care to to be added to Nasdaq next Monday
• Modine extends contract to develop CO2 coolants
• ARI rolls out ServiceSmart for the use of electronic maintencance
• Critcare reports drop in revenue for first quarter 2005

Governor Doyle to propose $1.3 million for manufacturing

Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will propose in his next budget that $1.3 million go to the state's manufacturing partnerships, in part to help small and mid-size manufacturers adopt new technology, he announced on Monday. The money would go to the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Northwest Manufacturing Outreach Center and would secure the state about $6 million in federal funds, he said.

Australian biotech offers new stem cells freely

An Australian company based in Melbourne plans to distribute a human embryonic stem-cell line freely to researchers around the world, Australian newspapers have reported. Stem Cell Sciences Ltd. said the line cost about $100,000 to develop, the use of the cells would be unconditional, and the company plans to release five more stem-cell lines in the next two years. In the United States, federally funded research cannot make use of new stem-cell lines.

Bone Care to to be added to Nasdaq next Monday

Bone Care International Inc. will be traded on the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index starting next Monday, the company said. Bone Care, a University of Wisconsin-Madison spin-off, makes treatments based on vitamin D, including its flagship product, Hectorol, which the FDA approved this April to treat kidney disease.

Modine extends contract to develop CO2 coolants

Modine Manufacturing Company announced on Thursday that it has a contract the U.S. Army to continue its development of alternative HVAC systems. The systems use transcritical carbon dioxide technology for cooling equipment employed by the military in extreme heat. Since carbon dioxide is naturally occurring, it releases no harmful gases if it leaks and has a higher safety rating than the current R134a refrigerant chemical.

ARI rolls out ServiceSmart for the use of electronic maintencance

The electronic parts management firm ARI has announced the introduction of ServiceSmart, a tool that lets landscapers manage equipment maintenance electronically. ServiceSmart’s applications include an instant messaging alert system for equipment maintenance, creation of work orders and on-hand parts inventory, and access to the maintenance records and manufacturer catalogues.

Critcare reports drop in revenue for first quarter 2005

Medical equipment supplier Critcare announced its third-quarter 2004 results on Friday, reporting a drop of $1.04 million in revenue from the same quarter last year, to $5.33 million. Critcare blamed the decrease on a reduction in sales to a large OEM partner and the cancellation of three oral-surgery sales conferences in Florida and Louisiana.