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The mission of the Greater Akron Chamber is to drive economic development and prosperity for the people of the Greater Akron Region.
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Rubbermaid Announces Two Major Projects
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Newell Rubbermaid is strengthening its ties to the Greater Akron Region. The company announced plans to expand production at its injection molding facility in the Village of Mogadore and construct a new distribution facility in Brimfield Township. The Greater Akron Chamber was part of a development team that included Portage Development Board, FirstEnergy, the City of Tallmadge, Brimfield Township, the Village of Mogadore and JobsOhio.
The $25 million reinvestment in the Village of Mogadore facility on Gilchrist Road will result in the retention of more than 700 jobs and the creation of 140 jobs. With this reinvestment, Newell Rubbermaid will purchase new machinery and equipment as well as improve the facility infrastructure to expand production of Rubbermaid's commercial products.
Newell Rubbermaid will also be constructing an 800,000 square-foot distribution center in the Tallmadge/Brimfield Township Joint Economic Development District. This construction, also estimated at $25 million, will directly support the manufacturing facility in the Village of Mogadore and serve as a logistics hub.
"Rubbermaid has a long history of investing in Ohio," stated J.B. Broadous, director of operations for Newell Rubbermaid in Mogadore. "Together with our dedicated employees, we are proud to continue to offer innovative and quality products made in the USA."
"These investments are examples of a Fortune 500 company that has reinvested in our community over the past year," stated Rick Rebadow, executive vice president of the Greater Akron Chamber. "Its commitment to creating manufacturing jobs is a strong testimony to the business climate that both the public and private sectors have cultivated on a regional scale."
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Annual Diversity Conference Draws Large Crowd
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More than 100 representatives from local companies in the region participated in the third annual Greater Akron Supplier Diversity Conference at the Akron Urban League. The event was designed to bring corporate leaders, entrepreneurs, local businesses and government agencies together in a unique setting to promote procurement opportunities for minority-owned businesses in the Greater Akron region.
The conference featured perspectives from local leaders, including a morning address from Iris Harvey, the vice president of university relations at Kent State University, and a keynote speech from Eric Johnson, the president and CEO of University Park Alliance. In addition, registrants were invited to attend workshops and panel discussions, interact with local vendors and participate in the Procurement Café where entrepreneurs met one on one with purchasing representatives from both the public and private sectors.
"The Greater Akron Supplier Diversity Conference answers how underrepresented sector businesses in Akron can compete and win. The conference has lived up to its billing as an opportunity for entrepreneurs and enterprises wishing to lower the level of risk and prosper in a competitive corporate environment," said Samuel DeShazior, the deputy planning director for the City of Akron.
Committed to supporting supplier diversity in Northeast Ohio, the conference is a collaborative effort between the Akron Urban League, Black Pages Ohio, City of Akron, Greater Akron Chamber, Kent State University, Summa Health System and The University of Akron. The title sponsors for the event were Bridgestone Americas and Kent State University.
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| Röchling Automotive Project Receives Award |
Team NEO recognized Summit County, the City of Akron, Springfield Township, NEOTEC, FirstEnergy and the Greater Akron Chamber with an Economic Development Plus Award for their collective work with Röchling Automotive to identify a site for a new North American manufacturing facility.
Röchling Automotive is a German manufacturer of plastic auto parts and components with global sales in excess of $1 billion. Earlier this year, the company opened a $20 million manufacturing facility in the Massillon Road Industrial Park, located in the Springfield Township/City of Akron Joint Economic Development District (JEDD). The 75,000 square-foot facility will employ 125 people and supply both Ford and General Motors with state-of-the-art components for some of their most fuel-efficient vehicles.
The City of Akron and Springfield Township worked closely with Röchling Automotive to expedite the timeline for both permitting and construction. It was the company's intention to begin construction during the first quarter of 2011 and commence with production during the fourth quarter of 2011. The official grand opening on January 11, 2012, was right on schedule.
"Röchling Automotive is a very sophisticated company that uses a combination of technology and manpower to service one of the world's largest and most important industries," stated the City of Akron's deputy mayor for economic development, Robert Y. Bowman. "We look forward to them growing and prospering here in the Greater Akron region for many years to come."
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Economic Development Correspondents
Robert Y. Bowman, Deputy Mayor, City of Akron
Samuel D. DeShazior, Deputy Director, City of Akron
Stephen Kidder, President, German Link, Inc.
Richard F. Rebadow, Executive Vice President, Greater Akron Chamber
Gregg P. Cramer, Vice President, Economic Development, Greater Akron Chamber
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