Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik have announced that Ohio will establish a new Innovation Hub in Youngstown to advance additive manufacturing technology in support of the national defense industry.  

Funded with $26 million from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program and $36 million in local, federal, and private investment, the Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense will bring together government, academia, and private sector industry partners to transform the region into the global epicenter for additive manufacturing.  

Known more commonly as 3-D printing, additive manufacturing is the process of creating three-dimensional objects one layer at a time. This technology has revolutionized the production of military equipment through the rapid creation of complex and customized parts, limiting the overreliance on foreign manufacturing. 

“Building on the region’s deep manufacturing roots, Youngstown has spent the last decade establishing itself as a leader in the research, development, and commercialization of additive technology,” said Governor DeWine. “With support from the Ohio Innovation Hubs Program, partners will now have added capacity to drive critical advancements in the defense and aerospace industries by transforming the way military equipment is made and strengthening our country’s national defense supply chains.” 

The Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace and Defense will be led by America Makes, founded in Youngstown in 2012 as the U.S. Department of Defense’s national manufacturing innovation institute for additive manufacturing.  Additional partners include the Youngstown Business Incubator, Youngstown State University, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber, and the City of Youngstown. 

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