Chicago Rivet & Machine Company: Producer of Parts and Equipment for Riveting Machines

Providing high quality products at competitive prices remain to be the mission of Chicago Rivet & Machinery Company. The business is a manufacturer of various parts and equipment that are used in riveting machines and automated assembly systems.

The operations of the company are divided into two reporting segments, namely assembly equipment and fasteners. Its assembly equipment unit continues to provide automatic assembly equipment and parts and produces automatic rivet setting machines. Their fastener division provides cold-formed fasteners, screw and parts machine products. These products are designed and manufactured from the company’s facilities. Currently, they operate three facilities where they conduct their manufacturing and warehousing activities.

Headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, Chicago Rivet & Machine Company continues to trade its common stocks on the American Stock Exchange. It uses the ticker symbol CVR to trade its common shares. The business is also listed as a component of the Wilshire 5000 Index.

CenterState Banks, Inc.: A Banking Holding Company

The entrepreneurs behind the success of the CenterState Banks, Inc. believed that a company’s strong ties with the community it thrives in remains to be one of the key points to make a community bank successful. More than 25 years after, the company continues to thrive as one of the trusted financial institutions in Florida.

CenterState Banks, Inc. serves as a parent business to two entities, CenterState Banks and R4All. Through the company’s experienced management team and their strong partnership with the community, the business has grown through the years into an institution with more than $3.1 billion in deposits and more than $3.7 in total assets. CenterState is also engaged in the acquisition of competing financial companies. Since its inception, the company has acquired 10 financial institutions, which were merged with the company’s banking subsidiary.

The holding company was created in June 2000 and is now headquartered in Davenport, Florida. It currently operates 58 banking centers and additional 4 loan production offices. From the deposits the company receives, it continues to support its lending activities and provides a wide range of loan services. In addition to the customary banking services, it offers consumer and commercial loans, real estate loans, loans for small businesses, individuals and other organizations. These lending activities are categorized under three reporting areas: consumer, commercial loans and real estate loans. These services are offered in various terms and interest rates. To continue its lending activities, the company sometimes borrows funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank or the Federal Funds Purchased. These short-term loans are paid out overnight.

Listed as a component of the Wilshire 5000 Index, CenterState Banks, Inc. continues to publicly trade on the NASDAQ. Its common stocks are marketed using the ticker symbol CSFL. Currently, the business conducts its venture in 18 counties in the state of Florida.

Capital Southwest Corporation: Providing Capital to Middle-Market Companies

It takes more than entrepreneurial skills to put up a company. More than product know-how, capital is essential for businesses to hit the ground running. In the United States, several capital companies have provided opportunities for businesses to thrive in the markets. Capital Southwest Corporation (CSC) is one of those companies.

For more than 50 years, the company has provided the funding to more than 245 middle-market companies. The portfolio of the company includes a list of businesses competing in different industries. Capital Southwest Corporation continues to own controlling interests or minority stakes on these ventures. The focus of the company is those start-up businesses that are privately held and they intend to invest in these companies or fully acquire them.

As a capital firm, they invest starting from $5 million to more than $20 million. CSC continues to grow their interests on businesses that are based in the United States and could possibly venture outside the country. It was in 1961 that the company started its operations.

Bunge Limited: One of the World’s Largest Food Processing Companies

With a strong partnership with farmers, packaging facilities, processing plants, ports and even directly with their customers, Bunge Limited is ready to help serve the world. The company is one of the leading businesses that thrive in the industries of food and agribusiness. For more than a century, it has helped put food on our tables and it continues to do so with their excellent customer service.

Headquartered in White Plains, New York, Bunge Limited was once known as Bunge International and kicked off its venture as Bunge y Born. It was in 1818 that the company got established and now, it continues to generate more than $57.82 billion in annual revenue. As one of the leading companies in the food processing sector, Bunge is also engaged in fertilizers, exporting of soybean and in grain trading. It has operations in 40 countries and maintains more than 400 facilities that help in processing and distributing their products.

Part of the company’s mission is to be a vessel in sustaining food supply for the world’s growing population. To ensure that they make an impact on the world’s food supply, Bunge is there from the marketing of fertilizers to farmers, originating of seeds and grains, and in the processing of food items for human consumption and other uses. There are more than 35,000 employees, who are working closely with farmers and helping them reach out to their intended customers. They have helped bridge the two parties to create a better relationship and create a seamless connection.

Bunge started in Amsterdam and it was Johann Peter Gotlieb Bunge, who created the business. From Amsterdam, the business moved to Antwerp and then later expanded its trade in Brazil, before coming to the United States. Currently, the business operates through its three reporting segments, namely food products, fertilizer and agribusiness.

Boot Barn Holdings: A Western and Work Gear Retailer

In the United States, when it comes to quality western and work gear, everyone trusts the name Boot Barn Holdings. The company is considered as the largest and fastest-growing lifestyle retail chain that has a strong focus on these two interests.

As of 2014, the company has operations in 24 states and owns more than 150 stores. They are the biggest retailer of western and work wear apparels and accessories. Their shelves are stocked with products from brand names like Wrangler, Dan Post, Resistol, Ariat, Justin, Montana Silversmith and several other western brands. They have over 8,000 products that include boots, belts, shirts, jeans, hats and several other accessories. Their stores carry more than 200 brand names.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, the company was formed in 2011 and was incorporated in the state of Delaware. It continues to trade publicly on the New York Stock Exchange, using the ticker symbol BOOT.

BIND Therapeutics: Harnessing the Power of Nanoengineering to Fight Cancer

As diseases get smarter, the power of science and technology also continues to advance to keep up with the challenges posted by medicine. Compared to the approach we used before, medical companies have resorted to using nanoengineering to combat diseases in a different level. By deploying nano medicines, pharmaceutical companies are able to ensure the efficacy of their products, while allowing the body to regenerate naturally.

BIND Therapeutics is one of the medical companies that have deployed the use of this nanoengineering to create novelty therapeutics that would change the future of medicine. Through small molecule therapeutics, the body can naturally regenerate because the therapeutics will leave healthy cells and attack the damaged ones. BIND Therapeutics continue to develop and create Accurins that are designed to concentrate at the site of the disease. These therapeutics are programmable and are designed with specific chemical and physical characteristics. The development of these therapeutics allows new medications to combat cancer at three different levels: cellular, molecular and tissue.

The Accurins that are currently being developed by the company are focused on oncology. The business has several therapeutics in the pipeline that are being developed on their own or through collaborative means with other pharmaceutical companies. Their lead product is named the BIND-014 and is intended to target non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Their second product, the BIND-510 is being developed as a prostate-specific membrane antigen. BIND Therapeutics has a partnership with Roche, Merck, Pfizer, Amgen and AstraZeneca.

BIND Therapeutics is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and continues to publicly trade on the NASDAQ. The common stocks of the business are marketed under the ticker symbol BIND. The company strongly believes that Accurins are the evolved therapy for cancer and other similar diseases. By continuously investing in their research programs, the business is taking the fight against the Big C, a step further.

Bullet Designs: Recycling Bullet Casings into Something Beautiful

We’ve all heard about projects that involve recycling various discarded materials and turning them into something useful, but what about spent bullet casings? Bullet Designs, LLC, a company based in Louisiana, did what others only dream of doing – they turned fired bullet casings into beautiful pieces of jewelry for both men and women.

Bullet Designs is a company that thrives on innovation. They managed to turn something that has no use for anyone into a work of art that people can proudly wear on their bodies. Their most popular products are their “his and hers” rings, bracelets, earrings, cufflinks, and designer necklaces. They have also released a line of body jewelry such as belly rings and ear cuffs. They also came up with a host of other useful and decorative items such as ceiling fan pulls made of actual bullets, ink pens, key rings, and money clips all bedazzled using bullet casings.

Their innovative products have earned them recognition from CNBC when they were named as one of the 10 Most Innovative Small Businesses of 2013.

AquaStorage: Hydration Solutions for All

Water is something that is abundant in the planet, yet clean and potable water can be so hard to come by especially during emergencies when it is needed the most. AquaStorage has several companies under its banner that helps store water and keep people hydrated using innovative means.

Sports enthusiasts no longer have to lug around inconvenient water bottles when they engage in their favorite sport with APK Gear. The company is a spinoff of AquaStorage and carries on with the same principles as its mother company with a focus on sports hydration.

Another company under the AquaStorage umbrella is RoguePak, a company that manufacturers disposable cartridge hydration packs that outdoor sports enthusiasts like mountain bikers and cross country cyclists and people who engage in other sporting activities can strap on to their hydration packs and throw away once they’re empty. This eliminates the need to clean the hydration cartridges which may lead to bacteria build up if done improperly. Each disposable cartridge is fully recyclable, making it environmentally friendly as well.

AquaPodKit, on the other hand, is a company that focuses more on emergencies rather than the day to day hydration needs of people. This very innovative product was designed and developed by David Dodgen when he saw the need for something that would store a large amount of potable water in case emergencies like hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural calamities strike. Moved by the devastating aftermath of the gulf coast hurricanes, Dodgen created a “bathtub bladder” which can store about 65 gallons of water with the help of a bath tub. The idea is to fill up the AquaPodKit with water right before a hurricane hits or right after a disaster strikes before the water systems are completely turned off. The AquaPodKit is designed to hold enough water for a family of four for roughly 14 days.