Mike Anderson, director of manufacturing, EV Chargers, Efacec USA, Inc.

Norcross manufacturer Efacec USA, Inc. builds fast chargers for electric vehicles that yield a plug-and-go time frame of 30 minutes. Its patented AC/DC power conversion technology eclipses the day-long power boost home-based plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) chargers require.

Efacec USA, Inc. is on the fast track introducing its PEV technology to U.S. markets at a blistering pace. In the past six months, this electric vehicle charger manufacturer and Smart Grid solutions provider has ramped up production of its PEV Level 3 QC50 DC Fast Chargers (QC50) at the company’s Norcross facility. This marks the first time these units have been built in the U.S.

The company is currently delivering QC50s to 350Green, LLC, an electric vehicle charging networks developer. In August, 350Green placed an order for 900 units, representing a three-year manufacturing contract. Group Efacec, the parent company of Efacec USA, has been marketing its EV fast chargers for years in Europe. From a production and cost efficiency standpoint, the company decided to produce the units for this order in Georgia versus importing from its Maia, Portugal factory.

By November, Efacec USA had reached a significant manufacturing milestone for the QC50. The equipment is now ETL certified as Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment for both public and commercial use. Efacec USA is one of only a few U.S. electric vehicle charger manufacturers to achieve this certification from Intertek, a leading provider of quality and safety solutions for a wide range of industries around the world. The QC50 is also CHAdeMO and CE certified.

Some 90 days later, approximately 30 units per month are rolling off the company’s Norcross assembly line, requiring up to 40 man hours per unit to manufacture. Each QC50 has two parts: the user-friendly PEV charging kiosk and a standalone power panel. According to Mike Anderson, director of manufacturing for Efacec USA’s EV Chargers, build out of the 15,000 s.f. facility to accommodate production was seamless.

“Our team is doing a fantastic job and we are all thrilled with the aesthetic engineering of the QC50,” says Anderson. “The greatest challenge has been locating domestic suppliers for U.S.-made components that meet the ETL certification requirements.”

The QC50 DC Fast Chargers support PEV charging station networks in major U.S. cities and around the world. For example, 350Green partners with retail hosts at selected, high-traffic shopping centers and other locations to create an expansive and convenient charging infrastructure. PEV drivers pull up and plug in their Nissan Leaf, or other CHAdeMO charging standard compliant electric vehicle, to receive a full battery charge in the time it takes to shop or conduct a business transaction.

Recent predictions for the electric vehicle industry cite that by 2017 more than 5 million PEVs will be sold worldwide and over 7 million EV supply equipment sales will support those vehicles. Related predictions anticipate there will be over 500,000 PEVs operating in the U.S. by 2015, with the U.S. becoming the largest market for PEV sales by 2017.

The commercial market for Efacec USA’s fast chargers is utility companies. Efacec enjoys a solid reputation for high quality, advanced technology and integrated Smart Grid solutions. This alliance blends advanced charging station technology, grid optimization and the application of distributed energy resources to actually improve grid performance.

Portugal-based Group Efacec has been serving U.S. markets since 1998 and chose Norcross for its U.S. operations headquarters in 2007. Its U.S. operations cover five different activities via its Georgia companies; Efacec USA, Inc. and Efacec-Advanced Control Systems in Norcross and Efacec Power Transformers, Inc. in Rincon.

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Rob Friedman, co-founder and executive vice president of Digital Element

What do Facebook, REI, Microsoft, CNN and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) have in common? These are among many companies worldwide that deploy IP Intelligence solutions from Gwinnett-based Digital Element.

Evolving from a little-known Norcross start-up that launched in 1999, Digital Element is now the definitive global leader and industry pioneer of IP geolocation technology that brings local relevance to web user experiences. It provides coverage for 99.9999 percent of the Internet and collects accurate data down to a postal code. Clients find it valuable for geo-targeted online advertising, content localization, content rights management or IP Intelligence for analytics all the while maintaining user anonymity and end-user privacy.

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Tom Beaty, president and CEO of Insight Sourcing Group

Norcross-based Insight Sourcing Group was recently named Supply Chain Company of the Year by the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC).

The MAC Supply Chain Forum and Awards were created to recognize outstanding individuals and companies in metro Atlanta whose actions have advanced the state of the supply chain industry and promoted its continued growth.

“It was an honor to be recently named Supply Chain Company of the Year,” said Tom Beaty, Insight Sourcing Group president and CEO. “We started the business in 2002 in Atlanta and moved to Gwinnett County in 2005, which contributed to an 1,100 percent growth rate from 2005 to 2007.  In 2011, we grew over 50 percent in terms of revenues and employees, with all of them based in our Norcross offices.”

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The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is accepting applications for the 7th annual TAG Business Launch Competition. This yearly competition rewards high-tech entrepreneurship and helps young companies access the mentors and services they need to be successful.

The winner of the TAG Business Launch Competition will receive $50,000 in cash and all finalists will benefit from more than $350,000 in services donated by area companies.

Preliminary applications are due on Feb. 24, 2012. Interested companies must submit an online application available at www.tagonline.org.

For the first time in the history of the competition, every qualified company that applies will receive a mentor and have the opportunity to present in front of the preliminary judging panel in late March.

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Products you use everyday may be a product of nanomanufacturing.

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers reports that more than 1,300 products have made it to market using nanotechnology. With many more in the pipeline, it’s no longer the next frontier, but part of today’s manufacturing processes.

Nanotechnology is having industry-wide impact as evidenced in these five ways.

1. Materials – Nanotechnology is creating exceptionally light, yet extremely tough, materials, such as graphene. Nano composites are uniquely customizable to adhere to other materials. They are currently used in golf clubs and tennis rackets, with expectations that they will transform the aerospace, defense and transportation industries in the not-too-distant future.

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Q-Matic Corporation will relocate its U.S. corporate headquarters to Gwinnett County from N.C. bringing with it 20 new jobs. Q-Matic, the world’s leading customer flow management solution provider, is moving to a 15,000 s.f. leased building at 2400 Commerce Ave. in Duluth to provide the company easy access to Interstate 85.

“With our recent growth in the U.S. and Canada, we needed a bigger and more accessible place to better serve our clients and call our home,” said Thomas Sareyko, CEO of Q-Matic Corporation.

With 360 employees worldwide, Q-Matic develops, manufactures, installs and supports a wide variety of hardware and software products and applications designed to be both effective and efficient. Q-Matic has in-depth process knowledge of optimization of customer flow in public sector, financial institutions, healthcare facilities and retail environments; boasting over 30 years of experience in the design and deployment of customer flow management solutions and over 51,800 installations worldwide.

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