Located in Williamsport, PA, Hermance Machine Company is a 100+ year old, family owned and operated industrial machine company specializing in the sale, distribution and manufacture of equipment used primarily in the woodworking and wood products manufacturing industries, with the majority of sales in the mid-Atlantic and northeastern US. The business currently employs approximately 40 full-time skilled employees, many of whom have been with the company for 10 or more years.

The Hermance management team had begun the implementation of a project plan to launch and grow two new product lines through acquisition and product development to complement, deepen and further develop the broad product and customer base in the core industrial equipment business, which had realized consistent year-over-year (YOY) growth. Because of the success of these initiatives to date, as well as, increased revenues and geographic market expansion of the core business, Hermance Machine Company was outgrowing its current facility and was also preparing to purchase additional capital equipment to move forward. With many initiatives in partial progress, coupled with an internal transition in management of the company from parents to sons, the executive management team was seeking assistance and options for planning and implementation.

Through an on-going client relationship with Hermance Machine Company, IMC recognized an opportunity to present the company for consideration to the Pennsylvania Governor’s Action Team, which provides assistance packages to select companies looking to locate, grow or expand in Pennsylvania with an emphasis on quality job creation. To implement the initiative, IMC conducted a series of strategic planning sessions with the Hermance Executive Team to develop a detailed Strategic Project & Business Plan that would result in the creation and retention of nearly 60 full-time jobs, an estimated revenue increase of 20% YOY with a total project investment of $3.2 million. The strategic plan and proposal were successfully submitted and approved by the PA Governor’s Action Team. In addition to providing direction and clarity for the Hermance leadership team, this process also resulted in an assistance package offering from GAT that included a robust combination of grants, low interest financing, tax credits and employee training reimbursements totaling more than $2.1 million. Hermance Machine company continues to implement these plans.

In local media articles and published press releases from PA GAT, owners Joe and Claire Strouse expressed their appreciation for IMC’s assistance by saying, “Our local Innovative Manufacturers’ Center personnel were instrumental in assisting us to prepare and qualify for this opportunity.” (https://imcpa.com/imc-helps-hermance-machine-secure-state-funding-expandsupporting-nearly-60-jobs/) They also stated, “We would have been hard pressed to complete our appeal to the Governor’s Action Team without IMC doing the heavy lifting and having their backing and support.” (https://www.sungazette.com/news/topnews/2019/10/local-company-to-expand-with-state-grants/)

Pictured (center) is Dan Manetta, President of the PA Statewide Industrial Resource Center Network and Executive Director/CEO of the Innovative Manufacturers’ Center (IMC) with (left) PA State Rep. Bryan Cutler, PA Speaker of the House and (right) Bob Zaruta, President of the NWIRC – Northwest Industrial Resource Center.

The three gathered in Harrisburg for recognition of #MFGDay20, October 2, 2020 and the importance of the manufacturing industry to the economy of the Commonwealth. The meeting was made possible by Rep. Parke Wentling of the 17th House district.

QorTek has recently earned the ISO9001:2015 and AS9100:2016 certifications, both held as
international standards for quality management systems (QMS).

The ISO9001:2015 and AS9100:2016 both provide a model for the quality of design and
manufacturing. The scope of both of these certifications cover power amplifiers, power converters,
digital control systems and smart material-based systems. The AS9100:2016 specifically certifies that
QorTek meets the requirements of aviation, space, and defense organizations.

This process, which QorTek started without any prior preparation or QMS groundwork, started in
September 2018 and was completed Spring of 2020. While most companies get through this process
in 2-3 years, QorTek was able to earn their certification in a little over a year and half. The process
would’ve been completed even sooner had it not been for QorTek’s recent moving of their
manufacturing and R&D operations from Williamsport, PA to Linden, PA.

These internationally renowned certifications are just one more example of QorTek’s relentless drive to
provide clients quality solutions.

About QorTek Inc.
With almost 60 employees including 36 Engineers (EE, ME, MatSE), and 5 PhDs, QorTek is a world
leader in smart material devices and high-density power electronics, innovating, developing, and
providing quality solutions to a diverse array of industries including underwater systems, land & air
systems, military & commercial space systems, medical, and industrial. The dedicated and experienced
team is committed to creatively advancing technology to promote sustainable business growth, driven
by dynamic engineering enabled by advanced science and technology.

For further information, contact QorTek at info@qortek.com or (570) 322-2700.

PennTAP is currently looking for industry participants for Penn State’s College of Engineering Learning Factory program.

There are a few changes for the Fall 2020 semester program due to the current pandemic environment that interested parties must be aware of:

• No site visits are going to be permitted at this time
• Students can utilize the Learning Factory to work on physical prototypes (if necessary) up until Thanksgiving break
• After Thanksgiving break, students will not be returning to campus and will finish the semester virtually.
• The end of semester project showcase will take place virtually (similar to the link above)

With this restrictions, do you have any projects based on digital technologies in mind for your business?

The cost to sponsor a project team is $3,500 for the semester. PennTAP has vouchers that reduces the fee in half for companies that can show a financial need. Project proposals are due 8/3 for the Fall 2020 semester.

On Tuesday June 9, 2020, the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) student video program will conclude its seventh season with the “Best of PA” Statewide Awards Event. Due to the unprecedented challenges presented by social distancing, this year’s event will stream ‘live from home’ on YouTube, and will include 22 teams competing for first, second and third place awards. A five judge panel, representing eastern, central and western Pennsylvania, viewed 22 entries, representing 13 regional contests across Pennsylvania, to select the statewide award recipients.

“We are so proud of the students and so excited we will still be able to celebrate the Best of PA videos, even with all that is going on,” said Karen Buck, Manager of Workforce Initiatives at Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC). “The continued success of the What’s So Cool program validates its value to both STEM and STEAM education and really highlights the necessity for these initiatives, both statewide and nationwide, to help plan for a robust economic future.”

The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Student Video Contest, which originated in the Lehigh Valley and is the brainchild of MRC, has garnered over 3,000,000 combined votes by the public during regional online voting dates since its inception in 2013, and more than 50% of Pennsylvania school districts have participated in the program. The WSCM Student Video Contest gives students the opportunity to interact with local manufacturers as they gain new perspectives about careers and technology, record their experiences and present them in an educational and “cool” way through documentary video production. The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” program includes a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved lesson plan that is in use across the Commonwealth. The contest was created to generate excitement that draws students toward considering manufacturing career paths to create a 21st century workforce.

This season’s original 16 participating regional contests in Pennsylvania were Berks Schuylkill, Central Susquehanna, Chester Delaware, Lehigh Valley, North Central, Northeast, Northern Tier, Northwest, Philadelphia Region, Pittsburgh Central, Pittsburgh East, Pittsburgh North, Pittsburgh South, PA Forest & Oil, South Central, and West Central.

Funding for the regional pilot contests is provided by the PA Department of Community & Economic Development. Funding for the statewide Awards show is provided by Platinum Sponsor: Nestlé Waters North America, Gold Sponsors: PA Manufacturing Extension Partnership and RETTEW, and Silver Sponsors: Catalyst Connection, MANTEC and Chester County Economic Development Council Regional Program Partners: Catalyst Connection, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Chester County Economic Development Council, Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center, Innovative Manufacturers’ Center, Manufacturers Resource Center, MANTEC, North Central Workforce Development Board, Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission, Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center, NWIRC, and The Foundation of The Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce.

If interested in learning more about this program in Central PA, contact Lauri Moon at laurim@imcpa.com, 570-329-3200 x8085.

If interested in either of these positions, please submit your resume with cover letter to info@imcpa.com.

Administrative Assistant May 2020

Manager Online Services May 2020

Written by Erica Mulberger, Executive Director, CPWDC

As Memorial Day has come and gone with no parades, no baseball, and no large summer kick-off parties, one thing has remained constant: Central Pennsylvanians stayed committed to ensuring our friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers would come out of this pandemic just as strong as we were going into it. We know this is far from over, but through everyone’s efforts to social distance and work together to provide PPE for the healthcare providers and other businesses, the nine counties representing the Central PA Workforce Development Area are in the “yellow” phase with some counties moving to “green” this week.

This Central PA stick-togetherness and creativity (like the idea of using waterproof house wrap to make intake gowns) caught the attention of the national team that started the Next Generation Industry Partnership model, and they highlighted the work of the MADE in Central PA manufacturing partnership and the Central PA Healthcare Partnership’s response to COVID-19 in this article, Why Networked Communities are the Key to Economic Recovery, written by Francie Genz, Co-Principal, Institute for Networked Communities.

This is all started with the joint healthcare and manufacturing partnership Zoom meeting in late March which resulted in the plan put together in the email below.

I have to give a special shout-out to Tom Kapelewski who continues to be the point person on this project, connecting local partners with raw material and parts suppliers from all of over the US! And another shout-out to Geisinger and Evangelical Community Hospitals who provided designs and input into usable materials.

Lastly, kudos to everyone on this email for continuously doing your part to protect our families, our businesses, and our communities. #CentralPAProud

IMC is a proud member of the MADE in Central PA Manufacturing Partnership!

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce releases new Paycheck Protection Program Guide to Forgiveness.

Student Video Awards Move Online to Celebrate Inaugural Contest During School Closures

IMC is proud to announce the award recipients for the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) Central Susquehanna student video contest awards. The ceremony premiered online Thursday, May 14, 2020 on YouTube.

The video with the most votes, during three days of online voting in April, received the “Viewers Choice Award.” A panel of judges reviewed the videos for awards in three other categories: Outstanding Overall Program, Outstanding Team Spirit and Outstanding Brand Placement.

The WSCM contest partners students, from schools in Columbia, Lycoming, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties, with local manufacturers. Each student team scripted, shot, edited and promoted a short video that documents their experience, highlighting what is “cool” about manufacturing. One video in the region will be moving on to represent Central Susquehanna at the third-annual statewide competition in June.

“We had a really great contest our first year, and we’re so excited to share the videos and winners during our awards ceremony online,” said Dan Manetta, Executive Director/CEO IMC. “The students, the teachers and the manufacturers put in so much hard work to build this inaugural contest, and with everything that is happening right now, it’s important to be able to celebrate their accomplishments.”

This year’s awards and their winners are as follows:

1. Outstanding Overall Program: Millville Area Middle School – SEKISUI KYDEX
2. Outstanding Team Spirit: Central Columbia Middle School – Autoneum North America, Inc.
3. Outstanding Brand Placement: Lewisburg Area Middle School – GAF
4. Viewers Choice Award: Mount Carmel Middle School – Brush Industries, Inc./Qcard

Congratulations to the Millville Area Middle School and SEKISUI KYDEX team who are moving on to the statewide competition in June.

To view the WSCM Central Susquehanna Awards video, visit WSCMCenCSQ Awards Show.

Visit WhatsSoCool.org for more information and resources and follow on Facebook.com/WSCMCenSusq.