Expanded partnership announced

An Indianapolis firm and a university have agreed to expand their partnership.

Eli Lilly and Purdue University announced Friday that the company plans to invest up to $250 million in the Lilly-Purdue 360 Initiative collaboration over the next eight years.

The partnership could become the largest industry-academic agreement in U.S. history. It is targeted at accelerating innovation of pharmaceuticals.

“As potentially the largest single university-industry research agreement in American history, Lilly and Purdue are blazing a new trail to the endless frontier,” said Purdue University President Mung Chiang in a press release. “Today marks a monumental watershed in the generation of jobs, workforce and innovation along America’s Hard Tech Corridor. We thank Lilly for its pioneering impact on health and medicine in our society and for what is now the largest single research funding, from public or private capital, in Purdue’s history.” 

Goals of the partnership include:

•Discovering and accelerating the delivery of medicines

•Bridging the gap between laboratory discoveries and clinical applications

•Creating more resilient, efficient and sustainable supply chains

•Deploying innovative, scalable approaches to workforce development

An earlier agreement was set to expire in 2027. The partnership now includes four new projects and extends through 2032.

Ribbon cutting

Jay County Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon Thursday, May 15, for the Cincinnatus League’s new ice cream machine.

The event will be at the Cincinnatus League’s booth at Jay County Fairgrounds.

Nearing completion

CenterPoint Energy has entered the final phase of its natural gas infrastructure improvements.

The firm plans to replace more than 19 miles of pipelines as part of a $25 million investment this year. Included are lines in Hartford City, Eaton and Muncie.

“Through strategic, long-term investments, we’ve strengthened our infrastructure with industry-grade materials that meet current federal and industry safety standards,” said Gregg Maurer, vice president of gas operations for Indiana and Ohio, in a press release. “As we move into the final phase of this work, our focus remains on completing these upgrades efficiently while minimizing disruptions for customers and communities.” 

Bank earns rating

The Federal Reserve Board gave First Financial Bank a rating of "outstanding" for its performance under the Community Reinvestment Act.

The rating is the highest available. Banks are evaluated on meeting the credit needs of its entire community, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, consistent with the safe and sound operation of the institution.

“Reaching the highest possible rating for the second consecutive period is the best possible demonstration of our commitment to help our clients and communities thrive,” said Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial Bank, in a press release. “I’m proud of all the team members who are working every day to help us maximize our impact on the communities we serve, and grateful for the community partners we work with to have such a meaningful impact on our neighbors.”

Plans filed

Indiana Michigan Power recently filed plans with the Indiana Utility Regulatory commission for approval to enter into power purchase agreements for more than 570 megawatts of wind energy generation.

The firm plans to purchase power from five wind energy facilities in Indiana and Illinois. It currently has agreements for about 450 megawatts from four Indiana wind farms.

“By diversifying our generation mix, I&M is able to provide safe and reliable service to our customers and continue making a significant impact on the communities we serve,” said Steve Baker, I&M president and chief operating officer, in a press release. “The addition of diverse, renewable resources, like wind, is an important step in being Future Ready to serve customers’ homes, businesses and factories now and into the future.” 

I&M said in the release that it expects Indiana’s demand for power to more than double its peak load from 2,800 megawatts in 2024 to 7,000 megawatts in 2030.

Trial complete

Ardagh Glass Packaging has completed an industrial fuel switching trial to produce glass packaging using biofuel in the furnace at its Knottingley facility in the United Kingdom.

The nearly $8 million project was funded by the UK government’s Net Zero Innovation Portfolio program. The goal was to evaluate the feasibility of using alternative liquid bio-derived fuels for glass melting.

“This trial validated and supported our existing knowledge and proved that liquid bio-derived fuels can effectively replace natural gas in glass packaging production over an extended period,” said Ardagh business development director Dean Butler in a press release. “This is an exciting development for the glass industry as we continue to seek innovative solutions to reduce carbon emissions. The trial provides a clear example of how adopting liquid bio-derived fuels has the potential to help the industry to meet its ambitious sustainability goals.”

Ardagh operates glass manufacturing facilities in Dunkirk and Winchester.

Donated for literacy

Dollar General announced a donation of $13.2 million Thursday to support adult, family and summer literacy programs.

The grants will support more than 1,200 public schools, libraries and non-profit organizations, impacting more than 1.3 million individuals. 

“For over 30 years, the Foundation has been investing in literacy and basic education programs in our hometown communities,” said Denine Torr, executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, in a press release. “Today’s grant announcement is a celebration of our unwavering commitment to student and teacher success. We are grateful to all the grant recipients for their commitment to advancing education and helping students thrive.”

Hosting drive

First Financial Bank is hosting a book drive at various locations.

The drive will run from May 5 through 31. It is part of an effort to support financial literacy.

Books can be dropped off at the following locations:

•112 N. Meridian St., Portland

•211 W. Pearl St., Union City

•101 W. Washington St., Hartford City

“In recent years, our book drives have collected thousands of volumes to foster improved financial literacy in our communities, and we’re proud to continue this campaign as another way to help our clients and communities thrive,” said Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer for First Financial Bank, in a press release.

More than 4,000 books were collected in Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois last year.

ServSafe offered

ServSafe training will be available at John Jay Center for Learning in Portland.

The next session is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.

An additional session is scheduled for June 24.

The certification course is open to all food service employees and emphasizes safe food- and beverage-handling practices to minimize the risk of food-borne illnesses.

For more information, or to register, call (260) 729-5525.

Training available

Indiana Chamber of Commerce will host Forklift Safety: Train the Trainer from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 20.

The event offers in-person and virtual options and will be held at the Indiana Chamber Conference Center in Indianapolis. Participants will learn about training staff on forklift operation.

For more information, or to register, visit indianachamber.com.