Make It CEO Videos, Survey Insights and Industry News

The vision set forward by The Blueprint for Manufacturing in Northeast Ohio inspires all of MAGNET's work. The Blueprint identifies four pillars: Talent, Innovation, Transformation and Leadership.

Want to see behind the curtain at some of Northeast Ohio’s most iconic manufacturers? MAGNET’s new video series MAKE IT: Frank Conversations on the Future of Manufacturing offers straight talk about Northeast Ohio's smart manufacturing landscape. What’s it really going to take to lead the world? What’s propelling us forward and what's holding us back? MAGNET President & CEO Ethan Karp asks all of these questions and more as he chats with our region's industry leaders.

Episode 1: Chairman, President & CEO Chris Mapes from Lincoln Electric
Episode 2: President & CEO Rebecca Liebert from Lubrizol
Episode 3: Chairman Brian Gale from Malley's Chocolates
Episode 4: Managing Partner Kevin Johnson from NexGen Interactive

Blueprint Survey Insights

MAGNET’s 2023 Manufacturing Survey tells an exciting story of growth and change, but also highlights persistent challenges for Northeast Ohio. The survey, sponsored by Bank of America and themed after the Manufacturing Blueprint, aims to spotlight the state of manufacturing in the region – which drives almost half the regional economy. Since 2017, it’s been providing valuable insights into the realities facing manufacturers and the trends shaping our future. Every two weeks, there will be a deep dive into each of the four areas. Data reflecting on the Talent, Technology Transformation and Innovation pillars has already been released and can be viewed online here. Leadership pillar insights will be released on Nov. 28.

Lighthouse Tours

MAGNET kicked off our “lighthouse” manufacturer tours – opportunities for area manufacturers who have adopted Industry 4.0 technology to open their doors to other manufacturers to help explain the use of the new equipment/system. This concept is designed to guide manufacturers who may need to see things like cobots or Internet of Things sensors in action to best understand how they could be applied to their own business. 2023 Lighthouse Tours, sponsored by Bank of America, included visits to Haltec (Salam), Automation Tool and Die (Medina), Rimeco Products Inc, (Willoughby), and Mid's Homestyle Pasta Sauces (Navarre). Keep an eye out for the 2024 Lighthouse Tour schedule, which will be released in late January!

Mspire 2023 Pitch Competition Winners

MAGNET’s New Ventures team hosted Mspire, Northeast Ohio’s premier annual pitch competition exclusively for manufacturing-focused, physical product entrepreneurs. The eighth annual Mspire was held in September at MAGNET. In total, 70 applications were received, 22 were reviewed in the semifinals, nine finalists presented in-person at the competition, and six winners were named. Prizes were adapted to meet the needs of the winning companies/products and ranged from cash awards to no-cost consulting services.
Congratulations to the following award winners: Engineering Awards: Disinfection Technology Solutions LLC, Aspire, ARMA; Operations Award: LAND Energy; Huntington Innovation Award: ARMA and bTech

Thank you to the sponsors who made this event possible, Kastner, Westman and Wilkins, LLC (KWW) and Huntington Bank.

Bike Partnership Gets
Into Gear

After months of preparation, CMSD's Mary B. Martin’s 8th grade engineering students recently took their first official 0.8 mile bike ride to MAGNET. This has been a labor of love and involved many organizations. MAGNET staff and CMSD teachers collaborated to secure a Get More Opportunities Grant to purchase 30 bicycles last spring. Earlier this fall, Ohio City Bicycle Co-op instructors, MAGNET employees, many Mary B. Martin staff volunteers and the 8th graders themselves joined forces to assemble the bikes. Bike CLE provided training on safe riding, maneuverability and hand signaling in early October.

Finally, the students were ready to ride! Eleven 8th graders safely bike the 0.8 miles to MAGNET where they learned that they will be exhibit consultants for the school year, providing crucial student-centered feedback on all of MAGNET’s new exhibits and programming.

Industry News

Burton D. Morgan Foundation accepting applicants for Scalerator NEO

Applications are now being accepted for the 2024 cohort of growth-minded businesses and entrepreneurs. Learn more about the program here.

How No-Nonsense Gen X Is Leading the Industry Towards a New Manufacturing World

Ethan Karp's latest Forbes article can be found here.

Maximizing Efforts: MAGNET, EDGE join forces for economic and leadership development in NEO

Read Freshwater Cleveland's coverage of the merger here. Ethan Karp's OpEd in Crain's can be found here.

3D printed home in Wapakoneta is the first of its kind in the state of Ohio

Hometown Heroes reports on a 3D printer putting together a dream home.

Upcoming Events

Save the Date! MAGNET is hosting a day-long conference on March 5, 2024. More information about The Future of Manufacturing is NOW will be released soon.

Sales Growth Workshop

Presented by MAGNET in collaboration with Sandler Training on 11/30 from 1-3pm. Email Dave Sluka for more details.

InnoQuest is a year-long program for senior innovation leaders and practitioners.
Next session: 12/14 at Progressive Insurance
Contact Chris Keller if interested in attending as a guest.

2024 Lighthouse Tour Schedule

Look for upcoming announcements about our Northeast Ohio Lighthouse tours.

Interested in learning more about our consulting services, workforce development programs, dedication to the regional manufacturing community or taking a tour of our state-of-the-art facility? Click here.