• Editor’s Note: This article is the second in an ongoing series looking at the some of the businesses that make Kane County great. The series begins with profiles of businesses recently selected as part of a Metro Chicago Exports and Kane County Exports Grant programs that encourage local companies to expand their markets, improve business outcomes, provide more jobs and help grow the local economy.

In the 1950s and ’60s, America made things. Our products were the envy of the world, sought out and sought after for their quality, innovation and affordability. Manufacturing was what we did, the engine that helped generate the greatest economic power the world had ever seen. And the companies that made all of this happen weren’t just in Detroit, Chicago or other big cities. They were a part of every community, essential to bringing jobs, prosperity and the promise of the American dream.

Turns out, a lot of that is still true today here in Kane County, IL.

Many of the small and mid-sized companies that seemed so prevalent in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s remain in Kane County, and many others have been born in the past couple decades, growing and adapting, making the tax base a little stronger and life a little better for all of us.

In terms of industrial jobs, Kane County is the state of Illinois’ fourth-leading employer, with 49,722 jobs, according to Manufacturers’ News Inc. Elgin is the fifth-ranked city in Illinois for manufacturing jobs, with 12,064.

One of the companies worth watching is Miner Elastomer Products Corporation, located at 1200 East State St. in
Geneva. Along with Riverbank Laboratories, Inc., Miner Elastomer is the among the first Kane County businesses to win approval for a $5,000 grant from the Metro Chicago Exports initiative that is aiming at growing exports in the seven-county Northern Illinois region. The winning of that grant also makes the company eligible for a matching $5,000 incentive created through a Kane County initiative.

Basically, this division of Miner Enterprises is all about shock absorption. Miner Elastomer is famous for its TecsPak® thermoplastic elastomer energy management systems, but its products offer a range of solutions for all kinds of industries — from the shock absorbers in exercise equipment to mining shovel components to those huge sucker rod cushions that are installed on oil-well pumping units.

It is already among the top manufacturing exporters in the area, and in 2010 was the winner of Commercial News USA’s Exporter of the Year award.

Here’s a little more about the company, courtesy of the Miner Elastomer website:

About Miner Enterprises

Miner Enterprises was founded in 1894 after W.H. Miner developed a revolutionary draft gear for cushioning the impact between rail cars. As a division of Miner Enterprises, Miner Elastomer Products Corporation carries onward the innovative technical tradition established by W.H. Miner.

MEPC was formed in 1985 to develop and implement unique applications for TecsPak®, Miner’s revolutionary shock absorbing material totally different from anything else available today. Patented TecsPak® is an acronym for Thermoplastic Elastomer Compression Spring Package.TecsPak® equipped products have been proven to far outlast comparable products made of rubber, urethane, or steel — and can operate under an extremely wide temperature range.

TecsPak® is relatively inert and resists exposure to dust, oils, hydraulic fluids, and gasoline. With TecsPak®, you are assured of improved performance and productivity. Let our design engineers demonstrate how TecsPak® will work for your applications.

Quality Certified

MEPC maintains quality system registration to ISO 9001:2008 through AudIT3, LLC Management Systems Certification Services.This certification, as evidenced by internal and third-party audits, reaffirms MEPC’s commitment to the quality management principles of Customer Focus / Satisfaction, Process / System Approach Management, Continual Improvement, and Mutually Beneficial Customer-Supplier Relationships.

Building a Better Workout: Superior Shock Absorption

SOURCE: Miner Elastomer on WordPress

When it comes to fitness equipment, the average consumer doesn’t think about the construction of the machinery, or what’s inside. When they’re running on a treadmill, most people are focused on their workout — getting the most out of it, or possibly just getting through it.

Of course, that’s what makes good equipment; you don’t have to think about the manufacturing process behind it, only that it’s doing what it should.But those who manufacture it know that a lot of time and effort go into the process, and when you’re making fitness equipment, there are a number of factors: quality, safety, comfort, ease of use, and longevity, to name a few.

For treadmills and elliptical machines, one of the most important aspects is shock absorption. When a runner steps down on a treadmill, the impact force on the machine is more than twice the user’s body weight. Without proper shock absorption, that force is transferred back up to the user’s leg, causing fatigue, stress, and possibly even injury. Proper absorption, however, soaks up that energy and makes for a smoother, more comfortable, safer experience.

At Miner Elastomer, we produce shock absorbing products that are made for the best treadmills and elliptical machines out there. This is why all of the major fitness equipment companies in the country come to us, and consider us the go-to manufacturer of shock absorption pads.One of our most relied upon products for this is the GBR-1 bumper, designed for applications in which long, soft energy absorption is required. The bumper is easily installed into the equipment and results in minimum end load with maximum stroke.

Another favorite is our patented TecsPak® E-Springs, which offer numerous advantages over conventional rubber, polyurethane, and coiled steel springs. They provide significantly greater energy absorption per weight and volume, along with superior endurance and resilience. Our E-Springs are also 1/3 the weight of steel springs and are as cost-effective as they are reliable.For manufacturers of these machines, shock absorption is critical to their overall quality. For runners, it’s critical to their entire workout experience — even if they don’t know it.

Statewide Industrial Job Stats

IL Counties with the Most Industrial Jobs:

• Cook – 304,429
• DuPage – 85,630
• Lake – 58,722
• Kane – 49,722
• Winnebago – 30,969

• Chicago – 109,609
• Elk Grove Village – 19,946
• Rockford – 19,158
• Wheeling – 12,112
• Elgin – 12,064

Business Profile Series

• The Extraordinary Legacy of Riverbank Laboratories, Inc.

Read More

• Kane Could Give $5,000 Incentive to Businesses That Get Into Exports
• Act Now: Kane Small Businesses Can Get $5K to Boost Local Exports
• 7 County Leaders Choose Hulseman as Regional Exports Czar
• Kane, Collar Counties Join Forces to Juice Up Exports
• Counties to Announce ‘Unprecedented’ Exports Initiative Monday
• Help Kane County Metals Businesses Go Global
• Growing Our Regional Economy: Kane County Idea Boosts Exports Initiative