MEDINA --- For the second time in the past three years, the Made in Medina County collaboration will highlight manufacturers throughout the county at the Made in Medina County Manufacturing Expo Oct. 20 at the Medina County Fairgrounds.
This time out, in addition to 80-plus exhibitors, attendees will get a little business advice from one very successful mouse.
"Disney is known as such a leader, particularly from a customer service and leadership standpoint," said Mark Priebe, Made In Medina County steering committee member and president of Brunswick-based Proximity Marketing, of this year's keynote address from representatives from the Disney Institute.
The keynote will be held at 9:30 a.m., following an 8 a.m. breakfast. Tickets for the keynote are available at www.madeinmedinacounty.com.
The expo is free and open to the public from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. and is expected to attract upwards of 1,000 guests and visitors from throughout Northeast Ohio.
"We did it in 2015 and had around 750 people. This year, our Disney Institute Day on Oct. 19 sold out in a matter of days," Priebe said. "(The Oct. 20 expo is) a mix of manufacturers and those who support them, chambers, cities and private businesses, along with 250 area students. We hope people take away an awareness of how many products are made right here in Medina County and how important manufacturing is to our community."
Along with the more than 250 students from every Medina County School district, visitors will have a chance to meet manufacturers, learn about career paths, and participate in hands-on demonstrations including 3-D printing and CNC machining.
And while the expo is not a job fair in a traditional sense, such hands-on opportunities have oftentimes led to employment, Priebe said.
"So when people come, not just students but others in manufacturing, they may come away with the thought of 'I want to stay here in Medina County'," he said. "It is always a challenge to recruit great people."
Hands-on demonstrations
Throughout the expo, the robotics team from Highland High School will also give demonstrations of robots they have designed for competition. Additionally, Cuyahoga Community College will set up its training unit outside of the community center for tours, and Stark State College will feature a virtual welding unit, allowing visitors to experience welding through computer simulation.
Kimberly Marshall, economic development director for the city of Medina and co-chair of the event, echoed Priebe's sentiments, stating that she wants to make sure the community understands the importance of manufacturing in the county.
"The expo gives us a chance to showcase our outstanding companies and will give our residents a chance to meet them and learn about their products," Marshall said in a press release.
Bethany Dentler, executive director of the Medina County Economic Development Corporation, added that the local event coincides with National Manufacturing Month.
"The manufacturing industry has a tremendous impact on our economy, providing $450 million in annual payroll in Medina County," Dentler said in the release.
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