It has been well-documented that areas with concentrations of industrial R&D have a distinct edge over others when it comes to attracting new industries and new products. Such is certainly the case in Ohio, where there is a massive core of research in a supportive environment. Moreover, much R&D is conducted near corporate headquarters, and Ohio headquarters numerous engineered materials giants. This base of knowledge, and the excitement it engenders, is fertile ground for birthing new ventures.

Here's a sample of the many wellsprings of knowledge and expertise that flow to Ohio industry.

The Thomas Edison Centers provide members access to university research and development capabilities, technical consulting, education and training. Appropriate to the plastics industry is the Edison Materials Technology Center in Dayton which is developing stronger, lighter weight polymeric materials, new ways to bond materials and improved material processing quality. Other Thomas Edison Centers tuned into engineered materials include the Edison Welding Institute in Columbus, the Institute of Advanced Manufacturing Sciences in Cincinnati, the Edison Industrial Systems Center in Toledo and the Cleveland Advanced Manufacturing Program.

The Edison Polymer Innovation Corp. (EPIC), located in Brecksville and part of the state's Thomas Edison Program, is a catalyst for commercialization of polymeric research and development and increased competitive strength for Ohio's polymer industries. It bridges the gap between universities and corporations. Companies have access to the latest scientific and production expertise and equipment. No one firm bears all of the costs of R&D, and many firms benefit from the commercialization of new products and processes.

EPIC brings its members advanced research, technical support, seminars and other services. In its partnership with the University of Akron (UA) and Case Western Reserve University, and its expanding association with other polymer organizations, EPIC can draw from over 300 academic polymer scientists, engineers and researchers, as well as consulting firms and industry professionals.

Among technical facilities are a blending and compounding center at the University of Akron, the Applied Research Laboratory at the University of Akron (for testing and analysis), the Center for Basic and Applied Polymer Research at the University of Dayton, UA's Mini-Pilot Polymerization Project (to produce scale-up quantities of polymer recipes for performance testing and processability studies) and the Macromolecular Modeling Center at UA (which uses computers to produce three-dimensional structures of new polymers that are screened for further study and potential development).

EPIC also has three "focused research" organizations that investigate adhesives, sealants and coatings; ultraperformance polymer composites used in aircraft, auto components, buildings and electronics; and a polymer life cycle center which, among other studies, develops new ways to use recovered and recycled plastics.

The University of Akron's Institute of Polymer Science is a symbol of the economic resurgence of Northeast Ohio.

The University is an unparalleled resource for research, for partnering with industry to bring new products to the marketplace and for boosting the quality and performance of Ohio's polymer and plastics manufacturing work force. Recently named one of the top two academic polymer programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, the university also takes its polymer education programs into the public schools. The University of Akron and Case Western Reserve University are partners with over 70 corporations and community leaders in EPIC.

The University, located near the U.S. Air Force's Center for Advanced Materials Research, offers masters and PhD programs in polymers and materials engineering. The school's slant is on engineering, particularly in process modeling and simulation, including injection-molding simulation. The University's Research Institute assembles multidisciplinary teams to develop innovative solutions to customers' problems. Some 50 researchers address the polymer industry's problems and commercialize polymer technologies.

The University, in Kent (Portage County), has several branches throughout the region to bring polymer science education to the workforce. The University's Liquid Crystal Institute is world-renowned for invention of the "twist-cell" technology (the bending of liquid crystal molecules) that enables digital displays in laptop computers, watches, calculators and other items. Within the Institute is ALCOM -- Advanced Liquid Crystal and Optical Materials, funded mainly by the National Science Foundation. It incorporates the strong polymer research programs of Case Western Reserve and the University of Akron. Kent State is developing strong linkages with industry, spinning off products with commercial potential to the marketplace.

Though the focus is aerospace, the studies at Wright Laboratories at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton have broad applications to materials used in many fields. Since the 1940s, Wright has researched fiberglass structures, high temperature blades and other advances for turbine engines. Today it has considerable expertise in advanced composite materials. Its studies of polymer properties have led to new lightweight, superstrength structures and compounds. Much of the research is being disseminated to companies for commercial development.

"The State of Ohio prides itself on creating a business environment that cultivates business start-ups," says Gov. George Voinovich. "From Thomas Edison's first inventions to today's technological advances, Ohio has been home to innovation. The entrepreneurial spirit continues to thrive in the state, due in part to the Edison Technology Incubator Program. The incubators are the building blocks, providing the foundation for the new entrepreneur's success."

An Edison Incubator is a multi-tenant facility offering space at below-market rates, plus a variety of administrative, management and technical services that a new business may be otherwise unable to afford or obtain. A professional management team provides expert business advice to start-ups. There are currently eight incubators in the state.

Ohio provides plenty of opportunity for executives to network with their peers in organized settings, another important advantage of doing business in Ohio.

One of the most important networking opportunities is the Plastics Summit, held in 1994 and 1996 and co-sponsored by several trade associations and by the Ohio Economic Development Council and the Ohio Dept. of Development. Dialogues on new ideas and on education and work force development shared the spotlight at the 1996 Summit.

The Polymer Processors Assn. of Ohio, formed two years ago, assists processors in their relationships with the state and its regulatory bodies. The association, headquartered in Akron, has 2,500 members.

The Ohio Valley Plastics Partnership is a manufacturing consulting network encompassing 29 Appalachian Ohio counties (and a few in Kentucky and West Virginia). The objective is to assist plastics manufacturers in production, quality, manufacturing systems, methods, design capabilities and work force skills. Among many activities, the group centers on the formation of production alliances. The partnership, located in Portsmouth in Southern Ohio, can also provide site location and business expansion services, as well as loan and financing information.

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