Made in Springfield Is a Matter of Pride for the Local Workforce

Springfield, Ohio is home to creators, makers, craftsmen and entrepreneurs. We are a maker community that supports all types of manufacturing. With our convenient location, available property and skilled workforce, we have everything a manufacturing company needs to thrive in today’s competitive global marketplace. 

Springfield Proud

Made in Springfield is a matter of pride for our local workforce. We know the dedication that goes into producing the best quality products, innovating and creating solutions. It’s what we do, and we do it well. 

Some Clark County makers are turning their ability and passion for creating things into operating businesses.  For example, Jeanne and Matt Rue were frying batches of chips at their Clark County farm to sell at the farmer’s market. Now, Rue Farms Rustic Potato Chips are sold by Kroger, Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.

On a larger scale, the Made in Springfield mark can be found on a wide range of products from aerospace equipment to engines, auto parts, food products and silicon components for electronics. Some of the major corporations with a manufacturing presence in Springfield include:

• HDI Landing Gear
• Yamada
• Cascade
• Topre
• Silfex
• Konecranes 
• Dole
• Woeber Mustard
• McGregor Metalworking
• Navistar
• Sutphen

Manufacturers are Choosing Springfield for Growth

Our workforce is Springfield Proud, and so are the corporations that are locating here. For example, Topre America is expanding its Springfield location and investing $54 million to add 78,000 additional square feet to their stamping and assembly facility. In the process, they are creating 71 new jobs. Of the expansion, SVP of Topre America Brad Pepper said, “As hoped, our plans to expand to Springfield have resulted in increased production requests from our customers – Honda, Toyota and Nissan. In addition, the Springfield community continues to support our growth and has proven to be an ideal location for our company. It’s simply a community that wants our investment and works with our leadership to make it happen.”

Within the past three years, Topre has invested $182-million and created 360 jobs in Springfield. That they were able to do so speaks to the high quality of workforce that can be found within the city. “I think their growth continues to show that this area is a great place to do business. They had choices in where they could put this and Clark County continues to be a great location,” said Horton Hobbs, vice president of economic development for the chamber.

Another Springfield manufacturer, Silfex, is also expanding. They have already hired 150 employees and plan to hire 250 more. In 2017, Silfex chose Springfield for their expansion over a dozen finalist. “It was the right decision,” said Kevin Jennings, SVP of Lam Research (the parent company of Silfex). Now Silfex occupies a 350,000-square-foot warehouse near the PrimeOhio Industrial Park and has put $223-million into the facility. They are continuing with their expansion plans and have been pleased by the quality of workforce they have been able to recruit.

Join Our Maker Community

Whether you are a small entrepreneur or a business executive with a large corporation, there is room for you in Springfield. We are a community of makers who take pride in manufacturing products that are used by our fellow community members, the rest of the country and the world. This is an ecosystem where manufacturers thrive, and we invite you to join us. After all, there are over 35 Springfields in the United States, but this is the one you need to know about!

References

• https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/business/topre-investing-million-expand-springfield-plant-create-more-jobs/MR6Wy4EsWVisuE5tEWOaYL
• https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/business/new-silfex-plant-operating-springfield-more-hiring-planned/CR4RxF0xjmfCro217SilyJ/
• https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/things-you-didn-know-were-actually-made-clark-and-champaign-counties/HPf4rTqxFOPbhKU5M9LmtL/