1. Akron, Ohio USA

2. Contents
• Welcome
• Vision and Key Strategies
• The Akron Advantage
• Akron’s International Activities
• Akron’s Polymer and Plastics Cluster
• Akron’s Biomedical Corridor
• Potential Collaboration Options
• Next Steps
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3. Vision and Key Strategies
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4. Vision and Key Strategies
Vision
Akron will become globally known for its continuous innovation , effective business
support for growing companies and its global attraction of innovative companies
Key Strategies
• Capitalize on our foundation clusters (polymers, metal working, machinery/
equipment) to focus on biomaterials, orthopedics, wound care ,medical devices,
renewable energy and advanced materials
• Develop strategic international technology bridges to attract innovative companies
and technologies
• Effectively leverage regional and State resources
• Create a effective ecosystem that provides comprehensive support to businesses
• Collaboration
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5. Akron’s Assets and Strengths
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6. Distances to Major
Markets
City Miles/Km
New York City 461/740
Washington DC 337/540
Chicago 348/560
Detroit 178 /285
Toronto 318/510
Atlanta 668/1050
Dallas 1002/1429
Denver 1217/1724
Los Angeles 2041/2890
New Orleans 890/1260
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7. Ohio
• Ohio is the 7th largest state with a population of 11.5M
• Ohio’s GDP is ~$500B, No. 8 nationally and No. 20 world wide
(Same as Poland and Switzerland)
• Ohio is the 8th largest exporting state in U.S.
• Ohio is the recipient of the Governors Cup #1 in investment
projects in 2011
• Ohio is the only state to see its exports rise every year since
1999 to $45.6 billion in 2011
• Canada is the leading export nation with $20.1 billion and one
out of five exports are to the EU in 2011.
• Ohio exports to over 200 countries and other major export
markets include Mexico ($3.5 billion), followed by Brazil ($2.0
billion), China ($1.8 billion), and Japan ($1.5 billion)
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8. Akron
• A continuous legacy of innovation and re- invention
--1860/70- Building materials (clay, bricks)s, farm equipment
- Cereals (Quaker Oats)
--1890- Rubber industry, tires, automotive (B.F. Goodrich)
--1895-Toys (marbles)
--1915-Aerospace (blimps), Metal working
--1940s- Polymers, Plastics
-- 2000s- Biopolymers, Biomedical
• One of 5 Metropolitan areas in NE Ohio which is the 12th largest market in the US
( ~4.2 M, 50 mile/80 km radius)
• All American City- 1981, 1995, 2008
• Number 2 among mid size cities in the US for business investment
• Ranked 14th among top USA cities for European expansion
• Quality of life
–One of the leading leisure destinations of northeast Ohio.
–Parks, Theaters, Resorts, Fine Dining, World-class entertainment, Professional
Sports (in the heart of downtown)
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9. Major Assets
• Over 20 Fortune 500 companies are invested in Akron
• HQ of second largest US energy company- First Energy
• Three nationally recognized hospitals and a medical university
• Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) formed in 2008
• Top Polymer Science and Engineering College- Univ. of Akron
• World center of tire technologies( Goodyear, Bridgestone)
• Major aerospace research and manufacturing-Lockheed Martin
• One of the most comprehensive business infrastructure in the US (clusters, supply
chain)
• Akron Global Business Accelerator (AGBA)- 2008 winner of the Incubator
Innovation Award from the National Business Incubator Association
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10. The Akron Advantage
• Access to markets, logistics
– Within a 500 miles radius of 57% of U.S. population, 55% of all US manufacturing plants
and 60% of the US effective buying power
– Overnight rail & truck service to major metro areas including New York, Chicago,
Toronto and Washington, D.C.
– Three Class-1 railroads and two international airports
– Three foreign trade zones
• Power of Collaboration
– Effective working relationship between government (City, County and State),
businesses, the Hospitals and the University
– Goodyear/Bridgestone Firestone
– Biomedical Corridor
– Austen Biomedical Institute in Akron (ABIA)
• Akron’s cost of living is 95% on a national average.
– New York 146.5
– Los Angeles 132.3
– Chicago 115.3
– Atlanta 97.5
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11. The Akron Advantage-Cont.
• Access to trained and educated labor
– 300,000 educated and trained labor force in Akron/Summit County
– 29 colleges and universities
– 26,000 degrees awarded annually
– 180,000 degree-seeking students
• Strong international connections
– Akron provides a safe landing to international companies looking to access the U.S. market
through the Akron Global Business Accelerator (AGBA)
– Exhibitions, conferences, business missions
• Entrepreneurial network
• Access to funding
– State of Ohio Third Frontier program
– Angel networks
– Northeast Ohio has the highest concentration of health care VCs between the coasts, top 5 in the
country!
– The Akron Bioinvestments Fund
Business supportive ecosystem, “Can Do” Approach!
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12. Major Clusters
• BioMedical and Healthcare
• Polymers/Plastics/Advanced Materials
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Advanced/Alternative Energy/Fuel Cells
• Aerospace and Defense
• Automotive
• Instruments, Controls and Electronics (ICE)
• Logistics
• Green Technology (emerging)
• Professional and Financial Services
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13. Akron’s International Activities
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14. International Technology
Commercialization Bridges
Country Selection Criteria
•International innovation centers that match up with Akron
strategy and assets
•Areas that are hungry for change
•Areas willing to take a risk
•Areas with limited bureaucratic barriers
•Areas willing to invest resources
•Areas that have business development / commercialization
assistance structures
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15. Technology Commercialization
Bridges- Cont.
• Strong, on going, relationship with Israel Life Sciences
- Investments in the Targetech Innovations Center, Netanya
- Only US city to invest in an Israeli business incubator
-Active presence in annual BioMed exhibitions
-Water technology cooperation agreement with the City of Netanya and Mekorot
• Formal relationship with the Helsinki Business & Science park
in Finland
• Collaborative agreement with the technology center Chemnitz, Germany
• The University of Akron has engaged the University of Lemans
• Exploring bridges with :
- Baden Wurttemberg and Aachen, Germany, Lithuania, Slovenia and Sweden
- Corporative agreements with Qingdao and Weihai, China
• Business missions to and from India, Germany, China and Japan
• Active participation in international exhibitions, conferences and business missions
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16. Akron’s Polymer and Plastics
Cluster
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17. Key Highlights
• Ohio was the birthplace of the U.S. tire industry with companies such as B.F.
Goodrich, Firestone/Bridgestone, Goodyear, General Tire and Continental having
their corporate headquarters or major R&D centers in Summit County
• Largest concentration of plastics and rubber companies in U.S.
- 2800 in Ohio
- 1400 in Northeast Ohio
- 700 in Akron
• Ohio ranks #1 in the U.S. for the manufacture of plastics machinery, rubber and
plastic products
• Over 50% of the U.S. plastics consumption occurs within 800 kilometers of
Northeast Ohio
• Over 140,000 are employed in Ohio’s plastics and polymer industry
- Largest trained workforce in the country in the polymer industry
- University programs to train and graduate qualified engineers
- 31,000 in Northeast Ohio
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18. Highlights –Cont.
• World class universities and institutions providing advanced degrees, research,
development and innovative solutions, for the polymer and materials industry:
- University of Akron
- The National Polymer Innovation Center/ Functional Materials Center
- Case Western University
- Kent State
- Bridgestone Research Center
- Goodyear Technical Center
• State supported collaborative organizations including Polymer Ohio and specialty
programs offered through universities and research organizations
Akron is the place for Polymer and Plastics companies!
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20. Akron BioMedical Corridor
Click here to view background presentation
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21. Roechling Automotive
A Recent Success Story
• Roechling is a global polymer company based in Manheim, Germany
• Have an automotive parts facility in South Carolina since early 2000
• Roechling was looking for a NA automotive expansion site and considering
6 different NA locations
• Akron representatives met them in the 2010 K Show following a targeted
direct mail campaign and started to exchange information
• Decided to locate in Akon in March 2011, broke ground in May 2011 and
started operations in December 2011
• Project cost was ~$22M
• Currently a 75,000 sqft facility employing 123 people (Phase 1)
• Expansion to double the size of operations in Akron to begin in 4Q 2012

22. So What Can we
Offer You?
• It’s all about reducing risk- technical, commercial and financial!
– Effective collaboration and business support to reduce risk
– Strong assets to support growth
– First class Global Business Accelerator providing “soft landing” business
ecosystem
– History and spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship
– Access to capital and funding sources
• Large enough to be effective , small enough to care for you !
We can Help You Grow your Business in N.A !
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23. Potential Collaboration
• Business and academic missions to explore mutual
opportunities (in and out bound)
– City, business and academia leaders
• Company visits focused on specific industry sectors
– Polymers and plastics
– Biomedical
• Collaborative agreements
• Joint funding
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24. How can we help you?
Akron Global Business Accelerator City of Akron
526 South Main Street Robert Y. Bowman
Akron, Ohio 44311 Deputy Mayor, Economic Development
330-375-2133
Robert E. Anthony
PH: 330-571-0574 Sam DeShazior
ranth44341@aol.com Deputy Planning Director
SDeShazior@AkronOhio.gov
www.akronbiomedicalcorridor.com
www.akronaccelerator.com The Akron BioMedical Corridor
www.ci.akron.oh.us Dr. Zev Gurion
Executive Director
330-258-0120
zgurion@akronbiomedicalcorridor.com
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