The
University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) has been awarded $412,000 from the
Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership to assist small to mid-size manufacturers within the Dayton area solve problems.
A research and development arm of the
University of Dayton, UDRI plans to use the awarded funds to better serve companies within the region that have the capability to create jobs and make an impact on the local economy. Larrell Walters, Division Head of Sensors Systems at UDRI, says companies with less than 50 employees often face problems they are not equipped to solve.
“[They] really don’t know all the resources that are available to them,” Walters explains. “We are basically helping them connect the dots to things that can help them solve problems, move their technologies forward, help them create more revenue and more jobs.” After discovering a company’s problems, Walters and his team are oftentimes able to connect two different companies together that otherwise might not have known of their existence. This ultimately leads to new relationships and new growth opportunities.
Companies interested in receiving help can visit
fastlane-mep.org for more information. No matter if the problem is technical or workforce related, Walters promises a quick response. “Fill out a short form, and we promise to get back to them within 48 hours.”
UDRI’s launch goal is to work with six to eight companies per month. “That might not sound like a lot,” Walters admits. “But if you can work with seven, eight companies a month solving real problems, that create a lot of opportunity for the state of Ohio and the people of Ohio.”
Source: Larrell Walters
Writer: Joe Baur