The Greater Akron Chamber (GAC) was awarded $3 million through the U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge program, complete with a $3.4 million local match, to strengthen the polymer industry’s workforce pipeline through in-demand skills training and placement in “Good Jobs” through the Advanced Polymer and Manufacturing Excellence (APEX) initiative.

A key component of the award is the funding of a communications strategy for the Polymer Industry Cluster, to be completed no later than June 1, 2025. This RFP is designed to outline the scope of work for this communications strategy.

The Polymer Industry Cluster, powered by the Greater Akron Chamber, has been named Ohio’s third applicant to receive an award from Ohio’s Innovation Hubs Program. The program’s $31.25 million award to fund the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub project, led by the Polymer Industry Cluster, will be matched by $10.4 million from local partners.

The Polymer Industry Cluster, a collaboration of private and public partners focused on innovation and investment opportunities for the region’s legacy materials industry powered by the Greater Akron Chamber, has been named the recipient of a $51 million federal investment as part of the EDA Tech Hubs Phase 2 awards.

by Steve Millard and Brian Anderson

The announcement of a $51 million Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub award for Greater Akron on July 2 was an important milestone for the start of a new wave of innovation and opportunity for our region.  Much has been written recently about the award, but we thought it was important to explain how the award unfolded and the opportunity it represents for Greater Akron and our polymer industry.