Manufacturing center construction under way

The foundation for the future of manufacturing in Washington County is being laid right now. Literally.
“They just started to pour the footings for the building and are working on the utility lines,” Craig Johnson of Moraine Park Technical College said of the college’s Applied Manufacturing Center currently under construction in West Bend.
The 42,000-square-foot center, located off of Main Street on the north side of the city, is scheduled for completion July 1 of 2002 and would open for operations a month later.
When completed, the Applied Manufacturing Center would serve area companies that want to train existing employees, as well as individuals interested careers in machining or Computer Numerical Control (CNC) manufacturing.
“The shop will have a large CNC lab, a tool-and-die lab and partner computer labs,” Johnson said. “But it is certainly open to any manufacturing industry.”
Local industry has stepped to the plate to help fund the center, which will cost $9.4 million. MPTC expects to borrow $5 million, and solicit cash donations of $1 million and in-kind donations of $3.4 million.
“Key partners are software producers Unigraphics and MasterCAM,” Johnson said. “We just had a commitment from Mitsubishi to help provide equipment for the center. ISCAR is a partner for providing tooling for the center. Brown & Sharpe are providing equipment.”
Partners interested in working with the center on training programs have stepped forward, too, according to Johnson.
“We also have some associations on board such as North American Die Casting Association, Wisconsin Manufacturing Excellence Program and Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership,” Johnson said. “A lot of their role will involve training. We will be working with them to train people in the programs they offer to their members.”
Companies interested in using the Applied Manufacturing Technology Center to upgrade the skills of its workers can contact the institution in the spring or 2002 if not sooner when the educational staff will be in place, according to Johnson.
“We will then be able to handle queries regarding corporate training,” he said. “We are really here to do what it takes for various companies and institutions — including custom training.”
In the meantime, MPTC is open to cash or in-kind donations to get the center up and running. Those interested in making donations can contact Sharon Holmes at 920-924-6326.
Aug. 3, 2001 Small Business Times, Milwaukee