ABOUT US

More commonly referred to as the Polymer Industry Cluster(a coalition of industry, academia, government, and economic-development partners) — has been making measurable contributions to the local rubber and polymer economy in Northeast Ohio, especially around Akron, the historic heart of rubber manufacturing. Its impact touches innovation, investment, workforce development, and economic growth.

 The consortium has successfully secured major state and federal funding to grow the region’s polymer (including rubber-related) economy. For example:

• It received a $51 million federal award as part of the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub program, matched with local investment to support innovation in sustainable polymers and rubber technology. 
• It also secured $31.25 million through Ohio’s Innovation Hubs Program, with local matching funds, to build the Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub. This project is expected to catalyze job creation and industry investment. 

These investments help the local rubber economy by fostering commercialization of new materials, scaling up sustainable processes (such as recycling end-of-life tires), and raising Akron’s profile as a center for advanced polymer and rubber R&D. 

 Funding tied to the cluster is projected to:

• Support the creation of thousands of new jobs in the Akron metropolitan area over the next decade, partly through the Innovation Hub and relate initiatives. 
• Attract additional private capital and investment dollars into polymer and rubber-related manufacturing and technology ventures. 

Economic development studies connected to the cluster suggest its activities could increase regional economic output significantly by helping existing firms grow and enabling new enterprises to form. 

 Through collaborative R&D efforts and infrastructure, the consortium accelerates technology development that benefits the broader polymer and rubber industry:

• It fosters partnerships between companies like Synthomer and universities  (e.g., University of Akron) to develop new polymer materials and  sustainable processes. 
• The consortium’s innovation hub and pilot plant initiatives provide shared facilities for testing and scaling new polymer and rubber products, lowering barriers for companies to bring innovations to market. 

This kind of activity enhances competitive advantage for Ohio’s rubber sector by keeping it at the cutting edge of materials technology.

A key element of the consortium’s mission is to expand and strengthen the local workforce for polymer and rubber industries:

• Awards connected to the cluster include funding for workforce training programs that help residents gain in-demand technical skills (e.g., in advanced polymer science and manufacturing). 
• Efforts tied to the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub also emphasize training the next      generation of engineers, technicians, and researchers crucial for sustaining the evolving materials economy. 

This not only supports rubber industry employers in finding skilled labor but also helps the region maintain a robust talent pipelineas technologies evolve.