Business news tops the Monday morning roundup:
The "Holy Grail" of recycling
John Bordynuik, the President and CEO of the Niagara Falls-based JBI Inc., says his company has developed a way to transform plastic into fuel, according to a report by Maryellen Tighe from the Buffalo News:
Bordynuik said his invention allows JBI Inc. to produce fuel at a fraction of the cost of major refineries, and can convert two tons of plastic into 109 barrels of fuel. The goal of converting plastic to fuel has been the Holy Grail of recycling for years, but only recently has the process been made commercially viable.
Open for business
Also from The Buffalo News, Matt Glynn reports that the public will soon get a glimpse inside the Tonawanda GM plant. The company is gearing up to host an open house this Friday:
The Tonawanda site is a high-profile regional employer, both in location and economic impact. Motorists routinely drive past the site along the Niagara Thruway, but glimpse only a portion of the complex from the highway. The plant employs about 800 people, with two new engine lines coming in that are expected to bolster the work force.
The International Business Council of Greater Rochester, N.Y. will be working on making the most of foreign trade opportunities next week as it hosts Upstate New York Trade Conference at Genesee Community College, reports Smriti Jacob of the Rochester Business Journal:
The June 21-23 conference is expected to provide detailed information and insight into international topics and compliance matters that will help companies in Greater Rochester maximize international trade opportunities, officials said.
For businesses on a smaller scale, Me'Shae Brooks-Rolling from The Post-Standard has compiled a useful list of places in Central New York and Syracuse where entrepreneurs can get some help.
Is there anything sweeter?
The spring of 2011 was the best season for maple syrup production in New York State since 1947, according to Eric Anderson from the Times-Union.
Production was up 81 percent over last year thanks to favorable weather conditions. The only state that produced more maple syrup than New York was, of course, Vermont.
