The friendliness of Billings, as well as the status of Montana as a state with the second highest potential for wind energy, has netted the community a new manufacturing business. Taisei Techno America Inc., recently formed as a Montana corporation and the US subsidiary of a $50 million- Japanese company,…

The Suds Hut... a regional landmark for a third of a century, a belfry for those seeking a scrumptious meal of broasted chicken or palate pleasing shrimp — an ice cold beer, a glass of wine or a cocktail. The Suds Hut, prior to 1976, was known as the Frontier Club.…

AlphaGraphics recently announced two personnel changes. Angie Kramer, Design Services Manager at AlphaGraphics, recently become an Account Executive at AlphaGraphics. "For years, Kramer has led the talented team of professionals in the Design Services department to help create the kind of creative, eye-catching marketing material that AlphaGraphics has become known…

The Northern International Livestock Exposition (NILE) has now begun the search for a new General Manager. Jay Nansel, President of the NILE Board of Directors says, "We will be taking application through the end of June, with plans of having the position filled by the early fall."

The Sweetheart Bakery, which closed last November, delivered its first bread to nearly 200 grocery stores across Montana, last week, under new ownership by Franz Bakery of Portland, Ore. Franz, which operates bakeries and distributes products in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Northern California and Montana, purchased the Billings bakery in April…

Montana ranked 30th in what has become one of the most significant rankings of states for business. SBE Council's "Business Tax Index 2013" pulls together 21 different tax measures, and combines those into one tax score that allows the 50 states to be compared and ranked. Among the taxes included…

Todd Hanna has been promoted to vice president, commercial loan officer for Stockman Bank Billings Heights. His responsibilities include developing financing packages to fit the needs of each business client, as well as servicing new and existing commercial loan relationships. Hanna has been with Stockman Bank since 2001 and has…

Natural gas prices have increased 130 percent over a year ago, and the surplus is dwindling according to Energy-facts.org. The price has climbed from $1.85 to $4.26/mbtu, while supplies have plunged from 900 billion cubic feet to -804 billion cubic feet. Energy-facts.org opposes an "over-reliance on natural gas," because of…

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense operational committee, announced that three Montana employers have been selected as semifinalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The Freedom Award is the DoD's highest honor for employers that provide extraordinary support to their…

Through June 16, guests at MacKenzie River Pizza locations will have a chance to vote on how much each, of seven non-profit groups, should receive from a total $20,000 donation from MacKenzie River Pizza. MacKenzie will give a portion of the donation to a worthy civic group in each area…

Oilfield infrastructure demand in the next five years in North Dakota and Montana is expected to soar to several billion dollars based on an average yearly 225-rig drilling program that would double the production to 1.6 million barrels a day by 2017. The need for more gas processing plants, feeder…

Billings is well positioned when it comes to enticing companies to locate here – at least some businesses. Identifying just exactly who those businesses are was the point of a $74,000 analysis commissioned by the Big Sky Economic Development Authority, (EDA) an agency of Yellowstone County with the mission of assisting…

Tom Spika and Spika Welding received the first-ever "Manufacturer of the Year" award in Helena. The award was presented by the Montana Manufacturing Council, a subsidiary of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, at the biennial Trade & Manufacturing Day at the Capitol. Governor Steve Bullock attended the presentation.

A Wyoming judge rejected efforts by environmental groups to open up confidential oil company records that detail information about hydraulic fracturing chemicals. In a ruling issued March 25, Dist. Judge Catherine Wilking in Casper backed up the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commissioner, whose supervisor has refused to release chemical…

MRL Equipment Company, Inc., of Billings, has been named Montana's 2012 Exporter of the Year. The announcement was made during the Manufacturing & Trade Day at the State Capitol, by Governor Steve Bullock and members of the Montana District Export Council.

First Monthly Decline in Retail Sales since October 2012 - Consumers cooled spending in March as the impact of colder weather across the country and harmful fiscal policy, namely the payroll tax hike, caught up to the economy and weakened retail sales. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), the world's…

Billing's businessman, Steve Wahrlich, was among three statewide tourism award winners honored by the Montana Tourism and Recreation Industry at the 2013 Montana Governor's Conference on Tourism and Recreation, in Helena, March 24-26. Tourism award winners are selected for their outstanding contributions to Montana's tourism industry. Wahrlich, owner of the…

Plante Moran Cresa, a real estate consulting firm representing Elizabeth Zeiler, announced that the City of Billings, has approved the annexation and rezoning of the 63.32 acre farm located at 1236 Mullowney Lane along Highway 90. The Zeiler family has owned and operated the farm for nearly 100 years and…

Philipsburg is looking for a few good families. The tiny Montana Silver Rush town (pop. 840) is seeking its next wave of pioneers, this time the New Millennium kind. The local Rotary Club and other community leaders have launched a yearlong media campaign targeting the growing members of the new…

Medicaid Expansion The Montana Chamber held a teleconference with the full Board of Directors to discuss proposals to expand Medicaid to individuals and families under 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level via funding from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Chamber discussed the pros and cons of…