High-tech, close to home

Are high-tech companies at home in Licking County?

The answer is a resounding yes — for two reasons. The central location — several of the following businesses are located along the 79|Seventy Advanced Materials Corridor — makes distribution easier. And the work force is ready, willing and more than able.

"We have found the local talent to meet our current needs, and they continue to receive training to meet our future needs," says Lora Rand, head of production and development at Bayer MaterialScience LLC for the Polycarbonates business unit in Hebron. With 135 full-time employees, the company is an expert in thermoplastics compounding and color.

"It's an excellent location due to the centralized location of our North American injection molding customers," Rand says.

Little wonder. Education and training are within reach.

"Bionetics has been successful over the years in hiring from the pool of workers in the local area to fill a number of calibration engineer, technician and support staff vacancies," says Ben G. Fullen, program director at the Air Force Primary Standards Laboratory in Heath.

The Bionetics Corp. was selected in 2001 as the contractor of choice to operate and manage the AFPSL, the highest-echelon metrology and calibration laboratory in the U.S. Air Force.

"Quite a few of Bionetics' employees hold degrees from local Ohio educational institutions at Central Ohio Technical College, Zane State, Cleveland Institute of Electronics, Denison University, Ohio State University, Ohio University, Hocking College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, DeVry University, Park University and Miami University," Fullen says.

To location and a trained workforce, add community support.

So says Mike Jones, plant manager of Momentive Performance Materials in Hebron. Momentive's 250 employees have been making quartz products supporting semiconductor, electronics and specialty lighting markets since 1973.

"This is a good location for our business because of the experienced production and manufacturing pool of employees, and the community support," Jones says.

Ditto, says Steve Stauffer, plant manager at Arboris LLC in Newark, the world's largest phytosterol producer. Workers extract a natural cholesterol-lowering food additive called phytosterols from pine trees.

Stauffer describes the area's pool of workers as excellent, very hard-working, dedicated and engaged.

"We purchased the facility because this location was able to reliably produce a competitive, high-quality product," he says. "There's an excellent workforce, business-friendly environment, easy access to major transportation, very well covered area as far as vendors and suppliers … to name a few."