Business Plan Competition brochure 2013

Chris Doyle of Advanced
Precision Solutions, LLC in
Escanaba was pleased to be
the first ever winner of the
inaugural UPWard Initiative
Business Plan Competition.
Chris accepted his
award and check for $5,000
on January 25, 2013 at the
Operation Action UP Annual
Meeting.
BUILDING
Advanced Precision Solutions, LLC (APS) provides full-service, close-tolerance
contract machining and assembly focused on low (10) to medium (15,000)
annual volume with high product mix. The target industry is the Diesel and
Hydraulic industry. Most machine shops that are serving these industries are
focused on the higher volume business. This leaves a specialized opportunity in
this market for a company like APS to take advantage of this much needed
service.
In addition to machining, APS will also use their expertise and experience in
assembly and testing to offer these additional services as a value proposition in
this machine shop service market. The diverse and flexible manufacturing
equipment along with the highly efficient operating philosophy focused on high
product mix and frequent changeovers will allow APS to be very successful in
this endeavor.
APS’s managerial expertise, business experience and industry relationships will
help the company’s growth and success. The company's team consists of
individuals with broad backgrounds in manufacturing, automation, assembly,
finance, and previous business ownership. APS was founded and is managed by
Chris Doyle.
APS targeted Escanaba, as the startup location for its demographics and location
relative to the initial customers and main suppliers. Unlike other startup companies,
APS had the benefit at startup of approximately $120,000 in annual sales.

AboutUPWARD...
The 2nd Annual UPWard Initiative Business Plan
Competition has been designed to encourage
entrepreneurs to explore new ideas and start new
businesses in the Upper Peninsula.
The competition is open to all residents in the
Upper Peninsula, Marinette and Florence Counties.
Competition winner will receive startup seed
capital, as well as mentoring services and media
exposure.
This region wide contest is an opportunity to
compete for cash and in-kind prizes, but it's also
a chance to get constructive feedback on your
business plan and to help move it from a virtual
business to a reality.
Contest will run from August 1, 2013 to
November 1, 2013.
For additional information and contest criteria
please visit
www.upwardinitiative.org
Or email
Businessplancompetition@upwardinitiative.org
Nearly three years ago, the Upper Peninsula
Michigan Works! Agencies, the Upper
Peninsula Economic Development Alliance
and the Michigan Small Business and Technology
Development Center partnered to
commission a Regional Innovation Grant
(RIG) study by NorthStar Economics, Inc.
The result was the 2009 “An Economic
Opportunity Study for the Michigan Upper
Peninsula/Wisconsin Border Region”.
The UPWard Initiative is the action implementation
phase resulting from that 2009
regional study for the design and development
of a strategic regional plan focused on
economic and talent development aligned
with the demands of the 21st century
economy. The initiative is a call to action
for the region comprised of the fifteen counties
in the UP and Florence and Marinette
Counties in Wisconsin.
The UPWard Initiative is made up of
committees focused on seven pillars of
economic development focus. There are
currently over 180 local residents working
as volunteers to support the study recommendations
that developed strategies that
are specific, measurable, achievable,
realistic and timely.