Business Expands into Mandan - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

North Dakota's personal way of doing business may have been worth more than any incentive package in landing a energy service company...

Novaspect provides services and equipment to energy related businesses and it's expanding in North Dakota.

The company has had a sales presence in the state but it's first physical facility will be built in Mandan.

The company does substantial business with process and power plants in the state including the refinery.

It also services the Bakken with equipment to monitor wells and pipelines.

While western North Dakota is the "hot" spot for energy related businesses -- the boom is not all that enticed Novaspect to expand.

Donnell Preskey has the story.

North Dakota's got a lot of things going for it when it comes enticing businesses to be here...

ND Governor Jack Dalrymple: "if you create a friendly business climate, reasonable regulatory climate and stand up and work create jobs for your people, miraculous things start happening to your economy."

But for Novaspect it was more than that... It was a letter...

David Manecke/Novaspect Chief Strategy Officer: "Back in March 1st my wife called, you're not going to believe this but you got a letter from the Governor of ND."

The Governor invited the UND Alum to a dinner in Chicago to showcase the growing opportunities in North Dakota.

Manecke: "They convinced me over and over again that ND was a business friendly state. Felt the need to accelerate this and move it forward."

Seven months later... Novaspect is moving forward in a big way. Construction will start immediately on the 20,000 square foot building. There will be 35 employees working in the facility within the next two years.

Manecke: "I'm proud to be a part of the state and happy we will be a bigger part of it."

You know the saying "timing is everything." In this case it is.

Manecke had been assigned to look into the possibility of expanding Novaspect to North Dakota when he got the letter.

A letter he's carried with him every day since it came in the mail.

Manecke: "I thought maybe someday I'd run into him."

Their run in.. is a celebration of good economic times brought together by a letter.

Manecke: "I graduated from UND. Career started in Beulah, wife from ND. For us to make this kind of a significant investment back into this state, create higher paying jobs makes you feel good."

Manecke left North Dakota in 1985... But the new Novaspect facility will definitely keep him connected to home.

Novaspect will lease the land the future building from Cloverdale.