Third Round of Manufacturing Readiness Grants awarded

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), in partnership with Conexus Indiana, announced the third round of awards totaling approximately $1.5 million to 31 Indiana businesses in Manufacturing Readiness Grants, which Governor Eric J. Holcomb first announced in May under the Economic activity Stabilization and Enhancement (EASE) program. The grants, which are a key part of Gov. Holcomb’s 2021 Next Level agenda announced last week, are designed to stimulate manufacturing investments that will position Hoosier operations, and the sector overall, for future growth and prosperity.

“as a state, it’s critical that we support manufacturers as they modernize their operations and efficiencies to succeed in today’s 21st century economy,’’ said Gov. Holcomb. “Like many industries, this sector has faced unprecedented challenges this year yet these Hoosiers are pushing full steam ahead. We’re encouraged by their continued commitment to enhancing and growing their businesses, solidifying our state’s reputation as the top manufacturing state in the nation per capita.”

The 31 manufacturers receiving grants represent 21 Indiana counties and cover a wide range of specialties, including automotive, aerospace and defense, agriculture, machinery and construction, consumer packaging products, and health care and medical. Together, these businesses plan to invest more than $15 million in technology and equipment to position their businesses for future growth by increasing capacity and modernizing operations. Five of the manufacturers – ameri-can Engineering, DQE Inc, Meyer Plastics Inc., Primex Plastics Corporation and Universal Technologies LLC – are accelerating operational investments in health care manufacturing or preparedness technology to support critical COVID-19 response efforts.

Recipients include:

• aero Machine & Manufacturing LLC ( Porter County; $ 40,000 grant award), based in Valparaiso for nearly 20 years, is a complete service machine shop offering engineering, machining, fabrication and assembly services from inception to installation. The compa

ny is installing a new HAAS CNC Lathe with live tooling that incorporates technology into its centralized data system, allowing them to integrate smoothly with new or existing Industry 4.0 environments.

•Ameri-can Engineering (Marshall County; $26,852 grant award) manufactures portable sanitation trailers in Argos. In order to meet increased demand due to COVID-19, this third-generation, family-managed company is modernizing equipment and processes to improve production efficiencies.

•Culver Tool and Engineering Inc. ( CTE Solutions) (Marshall County; $79,455 grant award), founded in 1950 and located in Plymouth, manufactures orthopedic implants and instruments for spinal surgeries. CTE also provides custom implants and instruments, including prototypes, for all segments of the orthopedic industry. The company is updating its forming and deburring processes with custom-built equipment, while upskilling employees.

•Earthway Products (Elkhart County; $100,000 grant award), family owned in Bristol since 1955, manufactures lawn and garden equipment for turf scientists, landscape professionals and homeowners. The company is automating a production line of spreader / seeders with cobots to replace highly repetitive work and improve capacity by 30%.

•eti Controls Inc. (St. Joseph County; $60,000 grant award), which was founded in 2019 as part of the ETI Network, manufactures electronic controllers and sensors for various applications including heat tracing that monitors temperature, humidity and pressurization. Based in South Bend, the company is investing in automated production and inspection equipment for printed circuit boards (PCB) to become further insular to meet stringent quality and delivery demands. Bringing the capability in-house allows the company to manage key component suppliers to increase capacity and manufacture complex PCBS.

•Konrady Plastics (Porter County; $45,000 grant award) manufactures and distributes machined plastic parts, including plastic sheet, rod and tube. Founded in 1981 and based in Portage, this family-owned business is investing in a cobot to pair with an existing HAAS lathe to enhance operations and position the company for future innovation.

•Micro Etch Technologies LLC (Elkhart County; $75,000 grant award) manufactures small, thin gauge metal components for electronics, medical, aerospace and other industries. Founded in 1988 in Elkhart, the company is upgrading its manufacturing technology and capabilities with investments in a digital microscope, digital CMM and chemical etching system.

•Touchtronics Inc. (Elkhart County; $50,000 grant award), based in Elkhart for more than 35 years, manufactures wireless and Bluetooth controllers and monitoring solutions for the commercial truck, RV, marine and public safety industries. This woman-owned business is investing in automated equipment to manufacture and assemble circuit boards, wire harnesses and injection-molded parts to enhance quality, efficiency, speed and product performance.

•Viewrail / Stair Supplies (Iron Baluster Inc.) (Elkhart County; $20,000 grant award) manufactures premium stair parts for homeowners, builders and contractors. Based in Goshen since 2004, the company is developing an automated powder coat line to transition from batch to continuous flow as part of an overall automation effort.

The IEDC initially made $4 million available for Indiana Manufacturing Readiness Grants and has since been able to expand the awards for Hoosier manufacturers with support of CARES Act funding. The awards are issued in the form of matching grants up to or equal to the amount of the qualified investment in new equipment and machinery (minimum 1:1 investment match). While the allocated program funding has been exceeded, Conexus, with the input of a peer review panel, will continue to assess applications and make funding recommendations to the IEDC, which will fund select applications if and when additional funding becomes available. Eligibility requirements and the grant application are available online.

“It’s a very positive indicator when this many manufacturers, this geographically dispersed throughout the state, and operating in so many sectors are making investments in smart manufacturing technology,” said Mitch Landess, vice president of innovation and digital transformation at Conexus Indiana. “It leaves you very optimistic about the future.”