Worcester Business Journal

www.wbjournal.com February 1, 2016 • Worcester Business Journal 5 Worcester company contributes to Hyundai steel mill Equipment provided by Primetals Technologies of Worcester has begun producing steel that will make its way into Hyundai's transmissions and engines. The Worcester company installed steel casting and rolling machines at the South Korean auto maker's new steel mill in Dangjin. The combined equip- ment has an annual capacity of more than 2 million metric tons of specialized steel a year. That steel will be used in car engines and transmissions, according to a release from the company. The equipment order had been award- ed to Primetals in early 2014 and the machines came online in October of 2015, with the caster and large bar roll- ing mill starting up nearly a month ahead of schedule. Late MetroWest entrepreneur honored A long-time MetroWest businessman and resident who passed away recently was honored in Natick at the grand- opening of a fitness center that is using an exercise product he invented. Kenneth A. Fischer Sr. was the found- er of Total Body Solutions, which opened 1999 and had six locations around the country, including in Framingham. He was always involved in fitness, said his daughter Diana Fischer-Schipke, whether it was playing two seasons with the Chicago Cubs minor league team, as a sporting goods manufacturer repre- sentative or in his last business venture as an entrepreneur bringing his inven- tion -- Hydrobics -- to market. Fischer passed away Jan. 10. He was set to be honored at the ribbon cutting at GravOxy Fitness in Natick in January. The facility uses Fischer's Hydro Family Fitness product, a collection of workout equipment that uses water to provide resistance. Fischer was a big name throughout MetroWest and an inspiration to many people, said GravOxy Founder Joanne Schmalenberger. Worcester names first ever diversity officer Worcester City Manager Edward Augustus has named Malika Carter as the city's first Chief Diversity Officer, as Worcester continues to strive for an inclusive and diverse city government. The hiring comes after a number of Black Lives Matter protests in the city, including one in Kelley Square where court cases are pending and amid com- munity discussions on race. While the city will always hire the most qualified candidate for a position, the Chief Diversity Officer will work to broaden the pool of candidates for city jobs to groups that have been tradition- ally underrepresented, according to a release from the city. >> Continued from previous page REGIONAL BRIEFS REAL DEALS Real Deals highlights recent commercial property transactions in Central Massachusetts. Commercial real estate firms that want to submit information on transactions can send it to editorial@wbjournal.com. Source: R.W. Holmes Realty ADDRESS: 245 West Central St., Natick AREA: 44,950 sq. ft. SALE PRICE: $2.35 million SELLER: Snap-On Corp. BUYER: South Natick Partners, LLC — Compiled by Sam Bonacci, Worcester Business Journal digital editor The commercial building is located on 2.5 acres along Route 135, with easy access to Routes 9 and 30. The facility itself is set up with four tailboard doors, one drive-in loading dock and 100 parking spaces. The configuration makes it ideal for research and development or for industrial use, according to R.W. Holmes Realty. South Natick Partners, LLC has plans to renovate the location and occupy a portion of the facility. Worcester offers translation for 90+ languages The City of Worcester has partnered with nonprofit Ascentria Care Alliance to provide language bank services for over 90 languages to improve access to city services for residents. "Worcester is a city of immigrants, and the city is taking steps to assure that all of our residents, no matter what lan- guages they speak, can access important information and benefit from programs" City Manager Edward Augustus said "If we want to become an even more wel- coming city, we must do everything we can to embrace and support people of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds." Senator: Legal marijuana would create challenges Highly potent edible forms of mari- juana make up nearly half the legalized market in Colorado and have had dan- gerous consequences, according to a Massachusetts senator who returned recently from a research trip. Back from what he called an "eye- opening trip," Sen. Jason Lewis says Massachusetts needs to be prepared for challenges, including the need for increased financial resources to regulate the industry, if voters legalize marijuana on a ballot question in November. >> Continued on next page

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