NWSC Crane partners with Evansville group to foster economic development

EVANSVILLE -- The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE) and Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, (NSWC Crane) announced Wednesday they have entered into an innovative technology transfer agreement that holds tremendous potential for areas businesses.

Crane's Commander, Capt. Charles LaSota, described the partnership as the starting point for enabling businesses to benefit from the military's science and technology.

"We will work together to share knowledge, expertise, facilities, equipment and other appropriate resources. It is in the Navy's and Crane's best interest. It is in the region's and Evansville's best interest," Capt. LaSota said.

Crane, a U.S. Department of the Navy federal laboratory located in Southwest Indiana, has about 2,600 federal employees and 1,500 contractors.

Through the agreement, Crane is making some 79 patents, as well as its research and development personnel and resources, available to businesses. Crane will provide access to a wide range of advanced technology and skilled personnel that will substantially increase the likelihood that companies can develop new products and processes to expand their economic viability.

As the economic development organization in Evansville and Vanderburgh County, GAGE will launch an aggressive program to create cooperative or joint research, development, testing and engineering activities by area businesses using Crane patents and resources. GAGE will serve as the manager for Crane's patent portfolio, as well as identifying and facilitating cooperative research and development opportunities for business.

"This partnership between Crane and GAGE will provide a remarkable opportunity for local businesses, which will allow them to further develop technologies that were invented at Crane," said Mayor Jonathan

Weinzapfel, who serves as GAGE board chairman.

"There is great potential in the ability to take patented military technology and market it for practical purposes. It is up to area businesses to seize this chance for economic growth and produce something unique."

GAGE will match businesses with Crane patents and technology and work to find ways of utilizing military research for non-military purposes.

Two review groups will be established to identify Crane resources that are of greatest interest to local businesses.

GAGE President & CEO Joe Wallace explained a multitude of processes and products that touch our everyday lives had their origins in government research laboratories. Examples include mammography technology, contact lens material and pollution control systems.

"GAGE is confident that this partnership will become the genesis of a technology commercialization renaissance in greater Evansville," he said.

The alliance between GAGE and Crane is viewed as mutually beneficial and fulfilling a core mission and mandate of each of the partner organizations.

"We all benefit when we work together and leverage our collective resources. That's what this partnership with GAGE is all about," said

John Dement, the director of Crane's Technology Engagement Office and the Crane point person for the partnership.

A not-for-profit public-private partnership, The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville was created in early 2007 through the concerted efforts of government, business and higher education. GAGE has three operating divisions: Entrepreneurial, which operates Innovation Pointe; Downtown Development; and EnGAGE, the program of business outreach and assistance.

NSWC Crane is a federal Laboratory of the U.S. Department of the Navy, providing multipurpose research and development, manufacturing technology, engineering, testing, manufacturing, and fleet support.

NSWC Crane strives to ensure operational readiness of U.S. and Allied forces by providing the full-spectrum technological capabilities necessary to rapidly move any technology product that is sourced in the NSWC Crane patent portfolio from concept through production, to operational deployment.