Champaign County EDCPosts Tagged ‘’

“Manufacturing Matters” Tour Visits Champaign, Highlights Industry’s Important Role in State and Regional Economy

“Manufacturing Matters” Tour Visits Champaign, Highlights Industry’s Important Role in State and Regional Economy 

New Economic Study Finds Manufacturing Generates $4.6 billion in Economic Output in Champaign County, Supports 12,528 Jobs

CHAMPAIGN – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) continued its statewide “Manufacturing Matters” tour on Thursday with a stop at Parkland College to detail the results of a new economic impact study measuring the industry’s significant contributions to the state and regional economy.

Conducted by independent economists at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, the study found the total economic impact of manufacturing in Illinois is estimated to be between $580 billion and $611 billion every year – the largest share of any industry to the state’s Gross Domestic Product. Manufacturing directly employs 662,298 workers but ultimately supports as many as 1,771,928 jobs, generating up to $150 billion in labor income for Illinois residents annually. In all, it’s estimated that the manufacturing industry supports nearly 30 percent of all jobs in Illinois, making it among the state’s largest industry sectors.

“Manufacturing is a key pillar of our state economy, and the industry’s success is vital to our state’s success. Illinois manufacturers feed the world, make life-saving products, power our homes and businesses, build our infrastructure, transport people and products around the globe and provide for our nation’s defense,” said Mark Denzler, President and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturers are the innovators and entrepreneurs, the builders and producers, and the dreamers and leaders who are solving our challenges and creating our future. It’s imperative our elected officials enact policies to allow for the industry’s continued success, foster capital investment and grow new jobs for generations to come.”

Manufacturing is particularly important in the Champaign region. In Champaign County, the study found the industry creates $4.6 billion in economic output each year, supporting 14 percent of the county’s economy. This includes 12,528 jobs, generating $736.6 million in salaries and benefits for working men and women in the area.

“We’re proud that so many manufacturers call Champaign County home,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “From flight simulators in Urbana and sports equipment in Champaign to hair products in Rantoul and tactical lighting products in Seymour, Champaign County has a long history of making products that have impacted the world. Today, along with the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Parkland College, and community partners, we’re excited to recognize this top industry in our community and celebrate its significant economic impact.”

The study’s findings were detailed during an event at the Parkhill Applied Technology Center at Parkland College, where students receive hands-on training to prepare them for in-demand jobs at manufacturers across the region. Parkland recently received a $4.99 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to lead a consortium of Illinois community colleges in the implementation of competency-based education, which will test skills students already bring to the classroom to avoid redundant training and help them complete their training more efficiently.

As part of the study, economists also examined the manufacturing industry’s evolution in the face of rapid technological development, with trends suggesting a shift toward a higher-skilled workforce. This underscores the importance of working closely with education institutions, policy makers and manufacturers to provide specialized training, and the need to further expand workforce training across the state to better prepare Illinois residents to enter high-demand fields. The IMA is leading these efforts, including successfully championing the creating of two new world-class manufacturing academies scheduled to open this fall, passing legislation requiring all high schools to offer career and technical education by 2025, establishing an apprenticeship tax credit for manufacturers that train employees, and partnering with the Pritzker Administration to launch a new multi-million dollar ad campaign highlighting manufacturing jobs that will launch later this year.

“Parkland College is pleased to partner with the IMA, area employers, the Champaign County EDC, and our community college peers to prepare the workforce for the current and future needs of the manufacturing industry,” said Dr. Pam Lau, Executive Vice President at Parkland College. “As a vital part of our state and regional economy, manufacturing education must keep pace with innovations in the industry. Parkland College is evolving our curriculum to become more flexible than ever to serve the needs of both employers and workers. This—combined with the cultivation of a strong workforce pipeline and ensuring students have access to the latest equipment—will be our focus moving forward.”

The new economic impact study is among the most comprehensive looks at the true impact of manufacturing in Illinois, which has historically been underreported. The standard metrics fail to capture the multiplying economic effects of the industry, including hiring and purchases from vendors to support manufacturing operations. The study found the Illinois manufacturing industry has an employment multiplier of 2.7, meaning that for every 10 jobs directly created by manufacturers, another 17 jobs are created elsewhere in Illinois. This multiplier effect is significantly higher than other industries in Illinois, underlying the importance of adopting policies to support growth of the manufacturing industry.

“An important takeaway from this study is the sheer size of manufacturing’s economic presence in Illinois. Every job created by a manufacturer spurs additional hiring and spending across multiple industries in the state. These secondary economic effects, known as the multiplier effect, represent additional contributions to the economy and should not be overlooked,” said Joseph C. Von Nessen, Research Economist at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. “Because this multiplier effect is significantly higher than other industries in Illinois, future expansions of manufacturing have the potential to generate relatively higher secondary employment impacts compared to similar expansions in other sectors. The ongoing recovery from the pandemic as well as the long-term economic health of Illinois will depend on the continued success of manufacturing.”

Additional “Manufacturing Matters” tour stops are planned to take place in communities across Illinois in the coming weeks. For more information, including a full copy of the report, please visit https://ima-net.org/2022economicanalysis/.

About the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA)

The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is the only statewide association dedicated exclusively to advocating, promoting and strengthening the manufacturing sector in Illinois. The IMA is the oldest and largest state manufacturing trade association in the United States, representing nearly 4,000 companies and facilities. For more information, visit https://ima-net.org/.

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Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns with In-Person and Virtual Events

For Immediate Release
March 4, 2022

Contacts:
Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director
Champaign County EDC
carly@champaigncountyedc.org
217-649-2586

Laura Bleill, Director, External Engagement
University of Illinois Research Park
lwbleill@Illinois.edu
217-417-6671

Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns with In-Person and Virtual Events

CHAMPAIGN, IL – The annual Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week, presented by Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, and You’re Welcome CU, will return for its third event in 2022 with both in-person and virtual events. The five-day event, March 7-11, celebrates Champaign-Urbana’s robust AgTech ecosystem, including the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Parkland College, corporate innovation partners, startups, state-of-the-art facilities, student organizations, local ag companies, the Illinois AgTech Accelerator, and more.

 

“As one of the nation’s premier AgTech hubs, Champaign-Urbana is uniquely positioned to convene entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and industry leaders for learning and networking, which results in more connectivity across this sector,” said Laura Bleill, Director of External Engagement at University of Illinois Research Park.

Participating organizations include Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Serra Ventures, Parkland College, Illinois AgTech Accelerator, Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL), Early College and Career Academy (ECCA), UIUC’s College of Aces and Corporate Relations, gener8tor, and many others.

The schedule of events includes:

  • Women in AgTech Panel
  • Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) – One-on-One Tours & Meetings
  • AgTech Student Career Mixer
  • AgTech Innovation Summit
  • Parkland College AgTech Showcase
  • Lunch & Learn: How to Get Involved in the Illinois AgTech Accelerator

“Parkland College is pleased to contribute to and support the vibrant AgTech ecosystem in Champaign-Urbana,” said Stephanie Stuart, Vice President for Communications and External Affairs for Parkland College and Champaign County Economic Development Corporation Board Chair. “Working in partnership with the EDC and the University of Illinois, Parkland College’s Midwest Center for Precision Agriculture supports the needs of industry and local growers by providing the most innovative community college curriculum in the region. Whether students arrive from the family farm or urban center, they will gain hands-on experiences in the field and on the latest equipment in our programs. We look forward to showcasing the next generation of ag workforce training as part of next week’s celebration.”

Champaign-Urbana has long been a hub for technology as well as agriculture. In the past decade, those two paths have converged, paving the way for the community to become an “epicenter for AgTech.”

“Champaign County comprises approximately 1,000 square miles, the majority of which are involved in agriculture,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director at Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “With resources like the College of ACES, Parkland College, direct access to large grower networks, and access to incredible talent, it’s no wonder companies like John Deere, AGCO, Cargill, Nutrien, and many others choose to locate here – and why companies start here. We look forward to celebrating our AgTech industry next week and working with our many community partners to further advance Champaign-Urbana as a premier AgTech destination.”

The full schedule of events can be found online at www.cuagtechweek.com. Registration is required at many events, but all are free to attend.

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Champaign County EDC Participates in 2021 SelectUSA Investment Summit

From the press release:

The State of Illinois today announced that a delegation from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Intersect Illinois and 17 economic development partners will represent Illinois at the 2021 virtual SelectUSA Investment Summit hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce. These “Team Illinois” representatives will meet with global companies attending the summit, running from June 7-11, to highlight the state’s advantages for foreign direct investment (FDI).

Team Illinois aims to facilitate job-creating investment by recruiting global companies to the state. An estimated 3,000 attendees from over 75 countries will be present at this year’s summit, offering the State and its partners an ideal opportunity to network with companies and create new pathways to investment opportunities.

“Illinois continues to be a leader in attracting international company investments, thanks to our talented workforce, diverse and growing economy, and the ingenuity and innovation of businesses that call our state home,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “FDI is crucial to our local economy, with over 2,000 foreign-based companies propelling hundreds of thousands of jobs for communities across the state and making Illinois a leader in FDI employment. In spite of the pandemic, we’ve welcomed hundreds of new FDI investments in the past year, and we continue to support our global partners with making investments here. On behalf of Team Illinois, we are proud to participate in this year’s Summit and to help more global companies build a bright future here.”

Team Illinois partners attending this year’s summit include:

• Illinois Office of Trade and Investment
• Intersect Illinois
• Alliance STL
• Ameren
• Bloomington-Normal EDC
• Champaign County EDC
• Chicago Southland EDC
• Choose DuPage
• ComEd
• Economic Development Corporation of Decatur- Macon County
• Greater Peoria EDC
• Growth Dimensions (Belvidere-Boone County)
• Invest Aurora
• Lake County Partners
• Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois
• North Central Illinois EDC
• Quad Cities Chamber
• Rockford Area EDC
• Will County Center for Economic Development

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is crucial to the state’s economy, with over 2,000 foreign based companies representing over 74 countries directly supporting over 375,000 jobs. This makes Illinois the 5th in the nation for FDI employment. Last year alone, Illinois welcomed 329 new investments, powering major projects in the fields of software and IT services, business and financial services, and industrial equipment, among others. Illinois’ sprawling global presence includes strong relationships with top FDI countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Canada, and France.

Delegates will promote a wide variety of Illinois communities for business investment, while highlighting the state’s assets including its modern transportation infrastructure, talented and diverse workforce, easy access to key suppliers, markets and customers, as well as its supportive business climate and vibrant geography.

“SelectUSA is one of the highest profile events dedicated to foreign direct investment in the United States, a powerful and effective way for us to show global companies all that Illinois has to offer,” said Alya Adamany Woods, acting CEO and COO of Intersect Illinois. “By bringing together Team Illinois, we are showcasing the diverse industries and communities that make Illinois unique and what makes the state an ideal location for a wide variety of investment.”

EDC Hosts DCEO for Manufacturing Tours in Celebration of Illinois Manufacturing Month

In celebration of Illinois Manufacturing Month, we were honored to host the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity on Monday, October 26 to showcase products & innovation Made in Champaign County.

Our visits included the Early College & Career Academy (ECCA) at Parkland College, Flex-N-Gate, Clarkson Specialty Lecithins, University of Illinois Research Park, EarthSense, TEKMILL, PSYONIC, and Serionix.

Early College & Career Academy (ECCA) at Parkland College

The Early College and Career Academy (ECCA) is a program for high school juniors and seniors to earn credits that count toward a high school diploma and college, all while gaining skills in different Parkland College degree programs, including manufacturing.

The Early College and Career Academy (ECCA) is a joint effort of Education for Employment System #330 (a K-12 Career and Technical Education cooperative) and Parkland College.

 

 

Flex-N-Gate

Starting with aftermarket parts in 1956 and moving into O.E. in 1968, Flex-N-Gate produces the highest quality products and systems for the automotive industry. With their extensive plastics, metals and mechanical assemblies experience, they persistently strive for continuous improvement and on-time delivery of defect-free products. They provide their customers a comprehensive solution using their collective resources of product engineering, project management, testing, stamping, welding, molding, painting, plating, assembly and shipping.

A global platform with 64 integrated manufacturing facilities in United States, Brazil, China, Argentina, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico and Canada that provide clients with improved quality, efficiency, cost and control. Flex-N-Gate has 7 North American testing facilities for both lighting and bumper testing and validation. They have 4 engineering centers around the world working with each of their component divisions. With over 24,000 associates world-wide (HQ in Urbana) they can build components and deliver them anywhere.

Clarkson Specialty Lecithins

As of July 2018, Clarkson Soy Products, LLC changed its name to Clarkson Specialty Lecithins. Their company, which offered the world’s first certified organic soy lecithin since it was founded back in 2002, continues to operate with the same structure, ownership and staff. They have always used an entirely natural process without any synthetic solvents, offering commercial quantities of soy and sunflower lecithin with excellent quality. During their first decade in business they focused on growth in the Certified Organic food ingredient market, and in their second decade of business they continue to expand their ability to meet their customers’ needs by offering an ever-expanding line of lecithin products that meet current requirements for quality and food safety – including the World’s First Natural Lecithin.

Clarkson Specialty Lecithins is the only company dedicated to lecithin produced in North America, from either of their two U.S. plants located in Cherokee, IA and Champaign, IL, supplying both Non-GMO and Certified Organic lecithins. They currently ship to four continents, in quantities from 10 lb. buckets to 50 lb. packs, to container loads and truck loads. They have distribution in Canada and the EU, and soon in other regions and countries around the world.

EarthSense at University of Illinois Research Park

EarthSense is creating dramatic new possibilities for crop breeders, plant protection products developers, crop scientists, and field agronomists. Their first robot—TerraSentia—improves the quantity, accuracy, cost and speed of in-field plant trait data collection, especially for under-canopy traits that cannot be obtained from aerial data. Their machine vision and machine learning based analytics seamlessly convert field data to specific, actionable information about plant-traits. Following their successful 2019 field season, they have improved TerraSentia hardware, software, and analytics based on these pioneering users’ experience.

TEKMILL at University of Illinois Research Park

Since 2015, TEKMILL has been passionately serving its clients with top-tier design engineering locally in Central Illinois and with a growing number of clients across the nation. Wanting to bridge the gap between engineering and manufacturing for early stage companies, founder Gary Durack envisioned a firm that could bring ideas to life from the initial design to full scale production. He found the need for this beneficial pairing of services was greatest among startups and tech entrepreneurs. Building a reputation for excellence and flexibility, TEKMILL has also become the solution for industry leaders needing a collaborative partner in product development.

Strong design and excellence in manufacturing have put TEKMILL in a class of its own. TEKMILL’s deep engineering expertise has significantly accelerated businesses in the life sciences, medical, automotive, industrial, and automation industries. Whether a client needs rapid prototyping, parts re-engineering, product development, or large-scale manufacturing, TEKMILL is ready to deliver.

PSYONIC at University of Illinois Research Park

With the Ability Hand™, PSYONIC is redefining what it means to be human for individuals with limb differences. It’s not just about what their users can achieve, it’s beyond that. They’ve developed an affordable and accessible prosthesis with unique bionic abilities—that surpass human capabilities—providing individuals with technology superior to anything else currently on the market. The Ability Hand is the only multigrip bionic hand Made in the USA.

Serionix

Serionix originated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2011 through coordinated efforts by Professor James Economy, James Langer and Weihua Zheng.

Through years of extensive research and development, their team has developed an award-winning filtration technology that has received support from the Army, the National Science Foundation, and NASA in excess of $3M.

Champaign County EDC Announces McCrory as Next Executive Director

 

CHAMPAIGN, IL, June 22, 2018 – The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce Carly McCrory as its new Executive Director. McCrory was chosen as the top candidate after a state-wide search, interview and evaluation process that included EDC Board members and community leaders. McCrory will officially start the position on July 1, 2018.

Carly McCrory

“In the end this was an easy choice. Carly is passionate about the work that EDC does, understands what it takes to be successful, and has an in-depth grasp of the organization. She also understands our local economy and how to market our community,” stated Bruce Knight, Planning and Development Director for the City of Champaign and outgoing EDC Board Chair. “I am very excited to see the impact of Carly’s leadership going forward.”

McCrory has been at the organization for almost six years, first serving as Communications Director, then as Assistant Director since July 2016. She previously worked for Tuscola Economic Development, Inc. as the Marketing and Communications Specialist.

“I’m excited to begin working alongside Carly in her well-deserved new role,” said Betty Brennan, Owner and President of Taylor Studios Inc. and incoming EDC Board Chair. “Her passion, expertise and leadership will continue to propel the success of the EDC. We have a lot of work to do and are looking forward to assisting the continued growth of our county and community.”

In addition to creating and implementing a new Strategic Plan and managing day-to-day operations, McCrory will lead business attraction, retention, and expansion efforts, overall marketing strategies, and oversee the Illinois Small Business Development Center.

“I’m thrilled for this opportunity and excited to lead the organization,” said McCrory. “The Champaign County economy is strong and growing. Together with the EDC Board, community leaders, elected officials, and key economic development partners, I look forward to advancing the success of our region and showcasing our county as a leader in economic development.”

 

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