(WisBusiness) MON News Summary — 27 Apr. 2009

From WisBusiness.com …

— Investors are hoping last week was just a pause and not the end of the recent market rally.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average went into today’s trading at a little above 8,076. That’s down about 55 points from last Monday’s open.

Still, state stocks and national blue-chips generally have risen since early March, leaving opinions divided as to whether the bulls are ready to overtake the bears.

There could be some clues when the Federal Reserve meets this week on Tuesday and Wednesday.

And investors will be poring over more corporate earnings due this week for more clues. Today Wausau Paper is due to release its first quarter numbers. On Wednesday come numbers from Rockwell Automation and MGIC Investment Corporation. And on Thursday it’s Alliant Energy and Oshkosh Corporation releasing numbers, among others.

See more on corporate earnings and stocks at the Wis-Business-dot-com Stock Tracker. http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=140042

Other business events populate the week, include two forums today.

In Madison, the Wisconsin Way group stages the first of three economic development conferences with top officials and experts.

And in Janesville, the state health secretary, Karen Timberlake, and Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan are hosting two events to discuss efforts to cope with the struggling Rock County economy.

— When people think of “green” products, they tend to think of things that carry a bigger price tag than their not-so environmentally friendly counterparts, such as wind power or organic grass-fed beef.

However, a product invented by CJ Schmidt, managing member of FiberMX LLC, proves it doesn’t always have to be this way.

He’s spent the last eight years developing a concrete crack reducer that uses fiber from recycled paper, recycled nylon carpet and recovered paper mill sludge. The latter two would otherwise go “straight to a landfill,” Schmidt said. “The carbon footprint of getting fiber from recycled products is also much smaller then making completely new fiber.”

It’s also less expensive. “We plan to sell our fiber for about 20 percent less than anything else that is currently on the market,” Schmidt said.

Fiber is commonly added to concrete to reduce the numbers of micro-cracks caused by water, salt and other chemicals during the first 24 hours after it is laid. The newest fiber to be added to cement is virgin cellulose, which has been in use for about five years. According to Schmidt, testing has revealed the cellulose fiber in recycled paper mill sludge is structurally the same as virgin cellulose fiber.

Read more about FiberMX’s new product: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=156643

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WisBusiness.com Luncheon featuring Tim Cooley, Madison’s New Economic Development Director

MONDAY, MAY 4 at The Madison Club

The next WisBusiness.com Luncheon at the Madison Club, organized by the Madison Club, Madison Magazine, and WisBusiness.com, is slated for Monday May 4 at 11:45 a.m. The guest is Tim Cooley, Madison’s new economic development director.

Learn more about Cooley: http://www.cityofmadison.com/news/view.cfm?news_id=1252

The event is open to the public, and the price for lunch is $19. Call the Madison Club to register at (608) 255-4861. The luncheon starts at 11:45 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.

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THANKS TO OUR WISBUSINESS SPONSORS

• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Madison Gas & Electric
• University Research Park
• Wisconsin Technology Council

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