Nanotech Comes to Fruition

I was one of the first journalists in the Chippewa Valley to embrace the potential of the proposed Nanotechnology initiative by the Chippewa Valley Technical College. Granted, nobody (other than science geeks) really understands the fledgling industry, but I believed at the time that West Central Wisconsin had to take a chance on a new science that has the makings of becoming a driving force in this nation's economy for years to come.

I was pleased to see that the Chippewa Valley Technical College has been able to raise the funds needed to develop the $5 million facility that is housed at the CVTC Gateway Campus in Eau Claire. I felt even better about my prediction regarding Nanotechnology when the CVTC announced that Woodville,WI-based OEM Fabricators Inc. was committed to becoming one of the first tenants in the 40,000-square-foot tech park. In addition, the CVTC referred to the possibility that more companies may become tenants of the new center in the next few years.

Whenever I talk about the NanoRite Center with friends, relatives or business associates, I get the same response: "Huh?"

I try to explain how this new technology will likely be prevalent in everything from medical devices to golf balls over the course of the next two decades. I tell them that Nano is the next generation of technology, similar to how the computer industry defined the Silicon Valley in Southern California in the 1980s. I remind those that are still listening to me that this new initiative is pretty risky, but worth trying since the Eau Claire area certainly appears to have enough retail outlets and restaurants and could use another industry to diversify its job base.