FLINT—Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, a provider of specialty pharmacy and infusion services, will be purchased by Eden Prairie, Minn.-based OptumRx, the pharmacy care business of Optum, a unit of the health insurance giant United Health Group, for $4 a share in cash and assumption of outstanding debt, valuing the company at about $300 million. Diplomat stock
DETROIT—Compuware Corp., the developer of mainframe software, announced it has signed an agreement to acquire the assets of Innovation Data Processing, a Little Falls, N.J.-based provider of enterprise data protection, business continuance and storage resource management products and services serving the mainframe market. The transaction is expected to close within the next quarter. It will be
SOUTHFIELD—The Centrepolis Accelerator, a business incubator for manufacturers and product-based businesses, was named Top Project of the Year at last week’s Excellence in Southfield Awards, a program of the Southfield Chamber of Commerce. Award recipients in six categories were nominated by Southfield Chamber members and the public. Winners were selected by a committee of local
ANN ARBOR–Kraig Biocraft Laboratories has completed the hatching of the second generation of its genetically engineered silkworms as it expands production at its breeding grounds and silk production centers in Quang Nam province, Vietnam. Company officials said that its Vietnamese subsidiary, Prodigy Textiles, would use the cocoons produced in this breeding cycle to begin its
COMMERCE TWP.–Nuspire, a managed security services provider, has hired Lewie Dunsworth as the company’s CEO. Saylor Frase, Nuspire’s previous CEO, now serves as chairman of the board. “After a long, extensive nation-wide search, we are incredibly fortunate to bring on board someone as well suited and talented as Lewie Dunsworth,” said Brian St. Jean, Nuspire
DETROIT–The Metro Detroit Teaching Residency for Urban Excellence will host an information session Tuesday, Dec. 11 at The Engineering Society of Detroit. The session will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at ESD Headquarters, 20700 Civic Center Drive, Suite 450, in Southfield. The Metro Detroit TRUE Project is an accelerated graduate level certification and residency program
DETROIT–Comerica Bank’s Michigan Economic Activity Index declined slightly in September to a level of 118.1 from 118.3 in August. The index is comprised of nine variables — nonfarm payroll employment, continuing claims for unemployment insurance, housing starts, house price index, industrial electricity sales, auto assemblies, total trade, hotel occupancy and sales tax revenue. Comerica economists
LANSING–From gamified science learning to empowering youth athletes, entrepreneurs of all kinds joined the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and the greater Lansing community on Nov. 20 for the Hatching business pitch competition, where three business ideas emerged victorious. The November winner was Cytopolis by Johan De Bruin, an online strategy game that teaches microbiology
ANN ARBOR–The Robotic Industries Association announced that North American robot unit orders are up 5.2 percent through the third quarter, compared to 2018 orders. So far this year, North American companies have ordered 23,894 robotic units, valued at $1.3 billion. In the third quarter, North American companies ordered 7,446 robots, valued at $438 million. Both
SOUTHFIELD—The Engineering Society of Detroit will host an information session on its state engineer licensing examination prep programs on Monday, Dec. 2 from 6 to 7 p.m. at ESD Headquarters At this free session, engineering professionals will be on hand to answer questions and provide the information needed to get started on the path to
