The CEP hosted a breakfast and awards ceremony last week to review recent successes and recognize manufacturing firms for their efforts in Champaign County. So far this year, local firms have invested more than $80 million and added more than 100 new jobs, mostly through expansions, said Marcia Bailey, economic development director for the CEP.

Much of that success is the result of local companies working together to resolve common challenges, like training and worker retention, she said.

“For the manufacturing partnership we’ve created, we’re seeing the results of that,” Bailey said.

Several Champaign County companies announced expansions earlier this year. Most recently, Weidmann Electrical Technology Inc. said last month it will add about 2,600 square feet to its facility at 700 W. Court St. in Urbana. The company, which produces specialty insulation for transformers, will also add 20 new jobs and spend at least $500,000 in new equipment as part of an expansion valued at around $2.7 million.

Navistar also broke ground on a roughly $12 million project to build a new distribution center and add 40 new jobs in Champaign County. Auto parts manufacturers like KTH Parts Industries in St. Paris and Parker Trutec also announced significant investments and expansions in the past 12 months.

Area companies and the CEP have developed several programs to boost the county’s workforce, Bailey said, and there is some evidence that’s paying off. But she said it’s also clear there’s still more work to do.

Attendance at a camp hosted by the Champaign Family YMCA has tripled its attendance since it started three years ago, Bailey said. The Inventor’s Camp enlists local manufacturing firms to teach students about skilled trades.

Manufacturers also host a booth at the Champaign County Fair to make residents more aware of the products made in Champaign County. And the CEP worked with local companies to develop a website allowing local businesses to post jobs available within the county. Manufacturers have also increasingly sought to provide internships to area high school students to make them more aware of careers in the industry.

Information provided by the CEP shows that the efforts appear to be attracting more young workers. In 2015, only about 5 percent of workers in the industry in Champaign County were between 19 and 24 years old, Bailey said. That number was about 9 percent this year.

Still, attracting skilled workers remains a challenge, she said.

“There’s not a competitions for products,” she said of local companies. “But we need the workforce to get those products out.”
By the numbers:
3,832 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2015
3,725 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2016
4,029 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2017
$64,021 — Average earnings for manufacturing in 2017

By the numbers:
3,832 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2015
3,725 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2016
4,029 — Manufacturing employees in Champaign County in 2017
$64,021 — Average earnings for manufacturing in 2017

By Katherine Collins and Parker Perry - Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
High school students across Clark and Champaign counties visited local manufacturers on Friday, in an effort to educate students about the job openings available in the area and connect businesses with potential workers.

The visits were part of Manufacturing Day, recognized nationwide by the U.S. Census Bureau. The industry is the fourth largest employer in the country, according to the bureau.

Manufacturers across Ohio have had trouble filling open positions because of the drug epidemic. Many workers can’t pass a drug test, said Jeannie Seery, human resources manager at the McGregor OSMI Plant in Springfield.

“We face that every day,” she said.

The plant wants to let students know they don’t need to leave the area to get a good job.

“We hear so often that the kids in Springfield just want to get out and go other places,” Seery said. “We want them to know that Springfield is viable and the community needs them to stay here.”

And she wants students to be motivated to avoid drugs.

“They’re getting into it at such a young age … they can’t do that and be able to go into a job,” Seery said.

A group of students from Springfield High School visited the OSMI plant on Friday as well as the Yamada plant. In Champaign County, about 140 students from Triad High School and other county schools visited multiple manufacturing companies.

It was an eye-opening experience for Springfield High student Diane Meslam.

“I thought that Springfield didn’t have many job opportunities but I found out that they do,” she said.

Other students, like Springfield senior Tyler Carter, said he appreciates having a better understanding of the workplace.
“I really got to see what it’s like to work in a hands-on job and industry like that,” he said.

Marcia Bailey, with the Champaign County Economic Partnership, said having high school students explore manufacturing before they graduate shows them what type of careers available in the area.

“We have so many job opportunities in manufacturing here in Champaign County,” Bailey said. “It’s a career choice, not just a job. We want the kids in Champaign County to know what type of skills they need to get these jobs.”

Urbana High School Senior Jessica Beveroy said she’s interested in accounting and wants to find every opportunity that might be available to her. She’s open to working for a manufacturer.

“I enjoyed it a lot,” Beveroy said of the event. “I can see a lot of opportunities.”

Graham Local students also explored the manufacturing industry on Friday. It’s important for students to start thinking about potential careers as soon as possible, Graham Middle School Assistant Principal Nick Guidera said.

“Here at the middle school, we were able to bring in 12 business partners and explain everything to opportunities that range from prosthetic design, 3D printing, welding, there were plenty of different opportunities,” he said.

Even the younger students, like Graham eighth grader James Pelfrey were interested in learning about manufacturing.
“I found it pretty interesting,” he said. “I like it because you get to create something out of pretty much nothing.”
Springfield manufacturers wante to attract local students.

Complete coverage
The Springfield News-Sun digs into important stories about jobs and the economy in Clark and Champaign counties, including recent stories on local unemployment rates and how driverless cars might impact Navistar.
By the numbers
11.4M: Workers in manufacturing nationwide
4th: Largest industry in the U.S.
$56,000: Average annual pay for manufacturing employees
$639B: Payroll for the entire manufacturing sector nationwide
Source: U.S. Census Bureau

by Joshua Keeran, Urbana Daily Citizen
​Navistar, one of the area’s largest employers, revealed plans for its new Urbana distribution center during a groundbreaking ceremony held Thursday at the Urbana Industrial Park on the city’s south side.

At an estimated price tag of $12 million, the 355,000-square-foot facility at 1155 Phoenix Drive is under construction and expected to be completed by Dec. 1. Once up and running, the facility is expected to house inventory for Navistar that could total up to $16 million.

“It’s a very exciting time for Navistar here in the great state of Ohio,” said Edward Franklin, senior manager of supply chain operations at Navistar.

Earlier this year, Franklin said, the company started production on a second assembly line at its Springfield assembly plant as part of an agreement with General Motors in which Navistar is manufacturing cutaway models of GM’s G Van.

“This facility will help us sustain our new relationship with GM as well as give us the opportunity to sustain our product portfolio growth in the future,” he said. “I’m very excited to get all our material and be able to consolidate it into one place here in Urbana.”

Joint venture
Located on property owned by Damewood Enterprises Limited, the new distribution center is being built by Dublin Building Systems. Once complete, the facility will be leased by Damewood Enterprises to Navistar.

Rich Irelan, vice president of sales and marketing for Dublin Building Systems, said his company is “committed to hitting” the target completion date of Dec. 1, and he said meeting such a deadline is obtainable thanks to the city’s willingness to see the project through.

“It’s so refreshing to work in the city of Urbana,” Irelan said. “We are going to promote more business in Urbana, Ohio, for sure.”

Speaking on behalf of Damewood Enterprises, Brad Damewood said, “We are very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project,” and he added it wouldn’t have been a possibility without the help of Marcia Bailey (Champaign Economic Partnership executive director) and the support of a tax abatement agreement by Urbana City Council and Urbana City Schools Board of Education.

“I’m sure Navistar had plenty of options for build-to-suit locations as well as exciting buildings,” he said. “One of the things that allowed Urbana to be the site chosen was the tax abatement.”

The agreed upon Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) agreement grants Damewood Enterprises a 10-year, 100 percent tax exemption of real property tax.

Impact on local community
While Bailey acknowledged the new distribution center will result in at least a $28 million investment into the area ($12 million into the building and $16 million in inventory), she said the biggest winner in the deal is the local community from a jobs standpoint.

“We were able to save 114 jobs here in our community that could have went to another community,” she said. “We are looking at another 40 coming in either from another facility or new employment all together.”

In the CRA agreement, Navistar stated its plans with the new facility are to retain the 114 employees currently employed at its ODW Logistics facility (located at 1030 S. Edgewood Ave.), transfer 27 full-time jobs from Xenia to Urbana, and create 13 new full-time jobs.

Bailey said the distribution center will have a payroll of nearly $7 million.

Urbana Mayor Bill Bean added the city has been able to build great relationships over the years that has led to the numerous construction projects underway from two new school buildings to new commercial properties like the Navistar distribution center and a new medical center for Marysville-based Memorial Health.

“We have a lot of things going on. A lot of growth, and this (Navistar facility) is part of it,” he said. “Without good partners, we couldn’t do this.”

​Joshua Keeran may be reached at 937-508-2304 or on Twitter @UDCKeeran.