WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that Akron was designated a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub), which will build on Akron’s historic leadership in the rubber industry and position the region to lead in producing sustainable polymers – the next generation of rubber and plastics. The Department of Commerce Tech Hubs Program was created by Brown’s CHIPS Act to drive regional technology growth by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies, and Brown urged the Commerce Department to choose a project located in Ohio.
Akron is one of thirty hubs designated from a pool of 500 applicants. This designation makes Akron’s new Tech Hub eligible to compete for an implementation award, based on their development plan, which will be announced in the spring. Around 5-10 Hubs will be selected with awards of $20-70 million each to carry out their mission. In conjunction with the designation, Akron was also awarded a $400,000 strategy development grant for the University of Akron and the Greater Akron Chamber for Sustainable Polymers.
“With our rich manufacturing history, Ohio is a natural fit to host a regional technology hub. As the historic rubber capital of the world, Akron is the ideal location for the future of sustainable polymers, to produce the domestic rubber and plastics of the 21st century. This investment will ensure that Ohio will lead in the technologies of the future, with Akron at the center of sustainable materials innovation,” said Brown.
Brown has been a leader in bringing new manufacturing opportunities to Ohio and worked to pass into law the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 which boosted Intel’s $20 billion investment to build a semiconductor plant in New Albany and is expected to create 10,000 jobs. In August, Brown called on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to consider the value of locating Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) in Ohio to continue the state’s leadership in manufacturing and innovation.
For over a decade, Brown has long supported investments in polymer research at the University of Akron. In July, Brown fought to include an amendment in the National Defense Authorization that would designate rubber as a critical material – enabling the Defense Department to take steps to engage in research and development to increase the domestic supply of natural rubber. In 2022, Brown announced two separate National Science Foundation awards to the University of Akron on polymer research totaling almost $1 million.
“It’s exciting to see progress in the work we’ve done with our industry and economic development partners over the last couple years to double down on our region’s legacy in polymers to create a new future for advanced materials that are both functional and sustainable. Being selected for the designation AND strategy development grant is both validating for our work and another step toward investing in our region’s future,” said Steve Millard, President and CEO of Greater Akron Chamber. “We knew competition for this would be fierce, but remain confident that our region brings deep history, scientific know-how and huge capacity for innovation and the advances in sustainability that industry needs. We appreciate the support and the investment in what’s next for advanced, sustainable polymers. Our region has the history, innovative capacity, and manufacturing density to advance new growth industries supporting semi-conductor manufacturing and electric vehicle, battery, and health care technologies. This designation is one more step for us as we re-invent the legacy of our region in advanced materials.”
“This is a community with a rich history of partnership and collaboration for economic development, workforce creation and innovation. Our designation as a Tech Hub and the awarding of a development grant both affirms this great history and ensures our continuation as a national leader in polymer and advanced materials research, education, training and technology innovation. The University of Akron, which is ranked #1 in the world for polymer science and plastics engineering, is excited to continue this work with our partners,” said Dr. Gary Miller, President of the University of Akron.
“Collaboration with community partners continues to put Summit County in the best position to succeed. This award will help us showcase what this region and our polymer industry have to offer,” said Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro.
“Akron is at the cutting edge of polymer research and innovation,” said Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan. “Our city has a long history in the polymer industry and we are proud of this new designation as a regional tech hub. I thank Senator Brown for his continued support of our region and our city, and I look forward to the work ahead here in Akron.”
“Goodyear strongly supports the Polymer Industry Cluster, a collective effort to leverage our region’s unmatched strengths in the polymer industry. This funding will energize our ability to solve industry-wide challenges and drive innovation in priority areas like sustainability, which is a business imperative for our company and many others. We thank Senator Brown for his leadership in bringing this vital designation to Akron,” said Richard J. Kramer, Chairman, CEO and President, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
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