Job Opportunities at ALL Power Labs
ALL Power Labs is preparing for a year of significant growth in 2013. As of the beginning of 2013, we have over 400 systems out in the world, in over 50 total countries. Here’s an updated map of where most of them are. By the end of 2013, we plan to add at least 200 new dots to the map . . .
Two hundred new dots will continue our pattern of doubling in size and shipped product each year. To double again in 2013 we’ll need to hire on all fronts, so expect a regular series of job announcements. We try to hire from within the community whenever possible, so do consider applying for these openings (or tell us about other positions you think you should have at APL).
We’ve recently taken on a veteran COO, Alejandro Abelos, who previously led manufacturing expansions at PowerLight, SunPower, and Green Volts here in California. He and the rest of the manufacturing group are now laying the groundwork to get us from current capacity of 10 Power Pallets a month, to around 25/month by the end of 2013– and continued doublings yearly beyond there.
We’re similarly building out a higher horsepower business group, to be led by an as of yet unfound CFO. Details on this CFO search will come in the spring. In the interim, we’re starting a search for the new position of Accounting Manager / Controller. This position will have central responsibility for the nuts and bolts of our daily financial management. It requires a person who wants to be operationally and strategically active postion in the org, not a cave dwelling number cruncher. It is not impossible the CFO might rise up from this position, so those with interest in the future role might still want to talk with us about the current position. There is room for growth. Details on the Accounting Manager / Controller position are findable here: http://gekgasifier.com/oldsite//2012/11/job-announcement-account-manager/
Customer Service and Product Support will also get full redo into a dedicated department(s) in the coming year. The initial “hurrah!” of prototype engineering and early manufacturing has now given way to 100s of units in the field, and many people wanting support, parts, training and general logistical help for larger deployments. We’re starting this with a dedicated Customer Service Manager postion. The details of this position came through in a previous GEKnews, and are still findable here: http://gekgasifier.com/oldsite//2012/12/job-announcement-customer-service-and-sales-support-manager/
Finally, this spring we’re setting in motion the next phase of 100kw Powertainer development, and plan to build several more units for continued refinement and testing through the end of 2013. Ramping developing and production of these units is going to require multiple hires across mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, project management, and yet more manufacturing production mangers. We can’t add all this on top of the existing GEK and Power Pallet production system. We will need to build out a new group and potentially a second site to produce the larger Powertainers. More info on this over the coming year.
Many of you have been watching our progress since the first experimenter’s kits in 2008. We’re blessed so many of you have wanted to participate in this curious engineering adventure, and together prove biomass gasification an actually useful technology for repowering today’s planet. We easily forget that only 5 years ago small-scale gasifiers were DIY rarities, or high dollar govt boondoggles. Today we have 100s of new ones out in the world, and about 5 other companies newly formed with their own offerings of small scale gasifiers, and related web based info and collaboration. This is all wonderful news for the general proposition.
We’re not yet at the one million plus gasifiers and the 10s of manufacturing companies during WWII, but at least we do now have a growing new industry around this tech, and proof that it can be relevant beyond a DIY curiosity. And much more is to come. We’re only just getting started on the real deployment and scaling phase . . .
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Open House this coming Friday at APL
Our next Open House at ALL Power Labs is this Friday, January 11th, from 5-7pm. There will be food and drink, as well as other gasifier geeks gathered and talking shop for your entertainment.
The Open House events offer all interested a regular time to visit APL, see a Power Pallet run, and generally tour the details of our operation. Each Open House has a short talk introducing gasification and the Power Pallet biomass power generation system. This will not be as in depth as our full workshop weekends, but it will get you through the fundamentals, and help you assess the relevance of our machines for your application.
People considering a purchase, or a larger deployment of our units, often use these events as an opportunity to visit and discuss specifics. If you would like to go through a particularly large project proposition, please try to tell us ahead of time so we are sure to schedule adequate time for specifically you.
If you plan to join us in any manner this Friday, please RSVP ahead of time to “sales“. If you are coming from out of town we can help you logistics. Surprisingly, people fly in internationally just for the day quite frequently!
If you can’t make it this time, remember they happen monthly, the second friday of the month. This puts the next Open House on Friday, Februrary 8th.
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Winter in Minnesota
Multiple APL folk spent much of this winter in Morris, Minnesota testing the 100kw Powertainer. We did a full characterization of gas composition, engine emissions, fuel consumption rates, and learned many interesting issues of cold weather operation. Btw, did I mention it’s cold there?
We’ll soon post all the details on these runs, as well as what’s next for the Powertainer project. In the interim, here’s a pix of local research conditions in Morris, MN, late December.
More soon,
Jim