POWAY
Costume-Maker Disguise Gets in Halloween Spirit
The phenomenon of dressing up for Halloween has a big impact on the Poway Business Park: It’s home to costume-maker Disguise, a subsidiary of Malibu-based Jakks Pacific Inc.
This year’s line of costumes include something called H2Go — short for Halloween To Go — a collection of simplified costumes meant for people on the go as well as busy parents. The H2Go line includes licensed T-shirts, masks and coordinating accessories.
Disguise can outfit a person as Capt. Jack Sparrow, from Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean,” with a simple bandanna, a T-shirt printed like a pirate’s costume and a plastic sword. Wearers supply the jeans and sneakers.
Those who have a little time to invest can dress up as Capt. Jack with Disguise’s premium package. That includes a jacket, shirt-vest combo, multiple belts, sash, pants, boot covers, hat, bandanna and braids. For a little extra, they can spring for the two-piece sword and scabbard.
— Brad Graves
VISTA
Family-Owned Hamburger Chain Plans Expansion
Five Guys Burgers and Fries, a hamburger chain based in Lorton, Va., said it plans to open a new restaurant on Main Street in the Vista Village shopping center sometime by the end of this year.
Mary McLeese, a company spokeswoman, said the family-owned company now operates eight restaurants in the county, six in San Diego, and one each in Encinitas and San Marcos. The chain is planning to open a restaurant in Escondido by the summer of 2012, she said.
— Mike Allen
POWAY
Clean-Tech Company Opens at Business Park
San Diego County’s clean-tech community has a new member.
Voith Turbo, a division of Germany-based Voith GmbH, said that it has opened a 5,000-square-foot hybrid power-train development center in the Poway Business Park. Kevin Stone is the site manager.
An Oct. 13 announcement said Voith is working on a diesel-electric power-train drive system for buses. San Diego-based Maxwell Technologies Inc. supplies ultracapacitors for Voith Turbo’s hybrid technology.
Voith is a diversified industrial company employing 39,000 people in close to 50 countries. It is one of the biggest family-owned companies in Europe, with sales of 5.2 billion euros, or $7.2 billion at mid-October exchange rates.
— Brad Graves
ESCONDIDO
System Holds Promise for Reducing Gas Emissions
Hydrogen Power Systems Inc. said initial results from testing of its on-demand hydrogen injection system have shown promise.
Tests conducted using a 10-year-old Freightliner truck powered by a 15-liter Caterpillar diesel engine owned by the Hawthorne Machinery Co. found that gas emissions were reduced by 67 percent, the company said.
Hawthorne, like many other trucking firms, is under pressure to reduce emissions and comply with stricter state standards over the next decade. While the cost for installing enhanced filters can run as high as $40,000 a truck, the HPS system sells for less than $10,000, HPS said.
— Mike Allen
TEMECULA/NATIONAL CITY
Nordstrom Rack Expands At Two Area Locations
Nordstrom Inc. said it will open a Nordstrom Rack store at the Commons mall in the spring of next year. The company is also opening a Nordstrom Rack store in Westfield’s Plaza Bonita this month.
— Mike Allen
