YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, selected a startup company at the Youngstown Business Incubator Friday as the backdrop to pitch the importance of his Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act, or RAMI.
The legislation would provide $300 million to fund the Obama Administration's National Network for Manufacturing Innovation program, launched in 2012 with the formation of America Makes in Youngstown, the first of 12 advanced manufacturing hubs planned across the country.
America Makes, formerly the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, or NAMII, helps facilitate research and development projects between more than 100 private and public partners related to additive manufacturing.
"Companies like the one we celebrate today put Youngstown on the map again as a world leader in manufacturing," Brown said during a press event at the YBI. "Our legislation has passed the House, it's passed the Senate committee unanimously. We think that this has a good chance of getting to the president's desk."
Brown toured the offices of Bravura 3D, a company that performs research and development work to improve consumer 3-D printers. The company is working directly with America Makes to accelerate its research in additive manufacturing, and continuing support for the manufacturing hub is essential to Barvura's success, said Brian Alls, co-owner.
"As soon as they announced America Makes, I knew I wanted to be a part of additive manufacturing," Alls said. He and his business partner, Jessie Tuscano, found support through the Oak Hill Collaborative to attend a two-day training seminar at America Makes in the spring, and left with a more focused mission on what market their new company would crack.
"We were able to build relationships with leaders in the industry," Alls remarked. The company initially wanted to manufacture 3-D printers, but instead is developing ways to improve how existing desktop printers operate. "We're developing technology -- software and hardware -- that makes it easier for the public," he said.
Brown says his bill, co-authored by Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri, is currently being held up by a handful of Republicans, but said he hopes to have it clear the Senate by December. Should the legislation not be considered as a stand-alone bill, it would be attached as an amendment to another piece of legislation, he says.
"That's one of the options now, and it's sort of the final option if we can't get these guys to go forward," Brown said.
Initially, the bill wanted $600 million in funding over a 10-year period, but the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee cut funding in half before it was moved to the House of Representatives, where it was approved by a voice vote.
Brown concedes the $300 million won't be able to fund the 20 or so manufacturing hubs initially envisioned by the Obama Administration. However, he emphasizes it's imperative that some sort of congressional funding be secured in order to support the program and open the door for additional money in the future.
"As these are successful and people see how we leverage a relatively small amount of money into major jobs creation, we'll see more funding coming down the road," the senator said.
Barb Ewing, chief operating officer of the YBI, says that America Makes and 3-D printing stand to change the entire landscape of how this country manufactures products.
The YBI is in the process of acquiring and will renovate the former Vindicator building downtown to house companies involved in additive manufacturing, Ewing said. The YBI's board of directors approved the organization taking on debt for the first time in order to buy the building, she said.
"Our board has said that this is such an important project for our community, that we are willing to take that on," Ewing noted. Once finished and occupied, Ewing projects it would create 350 jobs.
She stressed that the impact of America Makes is significant to the Mahoning Valley, but cautioned it's still a "pilot" program that hasn't received long-term congressional support yet. That's what makes Brown's bill so critical to continuing the program and others like it across the country.
Mike Hripko of America Makes says the organization is now active with 25 research projects and boasts 110 partners. "It's not just about high-end research," he clarified. "We're equally supportive of small businesses, hobbyists and individual entrepreneurs," such as Bravura 3D, he said.
Pictured: U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Bravura 3D owners Brian Alls and Jessie Tuscano address local news media at the Youngstown Business Incubator.
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.