Lima Seeking $3 Million Grant: Project Would Create 68 New Jobs

By Heather Rutz, The Lima News, Ohio

Mar. 13–LIMA — The city and advanced manufacturing partners are pinning their hopes for a new $3 million state economic development grant on selling a new “magnetic” technology.

The city, Rhodes State College, American Trim, Ohio Northern University and the newly formed Ohio Energy & Advanced Manufacturing Center announced the submission of a $3 million grant to cover half the cost of creating a new Materials Deposition Center at American Trim, which is funding the other half. The new project would create 68 new jobs.

The center’s first project would be a new decorative finish that mimics stainless steel, currently a popular appliance style with consumers, without the downsides of stainless steel, such as being nonmagnetic (disallowing all those grandchildren photos on the fridge) and tough to keep clean, said Steve Hatkevich, American Trim director of research and development.

The center would complement American Trim’s Advanced Materials Commercialization Center, which involves custom manufacturing products already developed, such as the truck bumpers created there now. The new center would develop prototypes of products that could be shared with American Trim’s customers, such as Whirlpool, and then tested with consumers and within a year turned into products in the market.

The new round of grants is competitive, Mayor David Berger said. The city expects $21 million to be available, awarded in $1 million to $3 million amounts to six to 10 applicants. However, 56 proposals have been submitted, asking for $140 million. The proposals will be reviewed between now and June and awards announced June 26.

The concept of the city as a research and development center is taking hold with the public and development officials in Columbus, Berger said, particularly with the ribbon-cutting of the truck bumper project.

While the city lost out on a $60 million megacenter grant last year, the process taught the collaborators they enjoyed working together and that they could compete.

“That doesn’t mean winning all the time, but it means being taken seriously and we were,” Berger said.

Now, Lima is “on the map” for research and development, said Judy Cowan, Ohio Energy & Advanced Manufacturing Center board president.

It’s because of approaches like what’s happening at American Trim, Hatkevich, said.

“We implemented mass production in Detroit,” Hatkevich said. “We can implement mass customization in Lima. It’s the Apple and iPod model, making changes to your own product before the competition can.”

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