On April 29, 2010 WIRE-Net held a Cleveland Manufacturing Briefing at Orlando Baking Company. Manufacturing leaders, Cleveland City Council members, and Deportment of Economic Development staff discussed how current trends impact Cleveland manufacturing jobs, what emerging markets, and opportunities exist for manufacturers, and how manufacturing investment and employment growth can be supported in Cleveland. Cleveland City Councilwoman Phyllis Cleveland for Ward 5 opened the Briefing with a welcome to the ward and an introduction of fellow colleagues in attendance: Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell, Ward 6; Councilman Zachary Reed, Ward 2; Councilman Anthony Brancatelli, Ward 12; Councilman Brian Cummins, Ward 14; Councilman Jay Westbrook, Ward 16; and Sharon Cole representing Councilman Eugene Miller, Ward 10. The Briefing concluded with a tour of Orlando Baking’s impressive manufacturing facility.

Manufacturing companies in Cleveland make everything from chemicals and coatings to food processing, commercial printing, and fabricated metal products, which is the top industry by number of firms. Through the Cleveland Industrial Retention Initiative’s (CIRI) outreach with firms, we learned that the top challenges for manufacturing is increasing sales volume; growing and retaining customers; innovation; attracting, training, and retaining the best people; and employing energy efficiency to reduce costs. The opportunities in Cleveland’s manufacturing base include the diversity in the manufacturing skill and talent and that companies are positioning themselves for future growth by investigating new markets like alternative energy, medical, and defense. WIRE-Net is continuing to pursue new market opportunities for manufacturing through initiatives like the Great Lakes WIND Network (GLWN); solidifying new market partnerships with MAGNET, NorTech, and others to help firms get up the learning curve of new markets; and Federal contracting workshops organized by CIRI and the local Procurement and Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) to help companies sell to the government. Cleveland City Council members were also encouraged to continue to engage with local companies and work with the Department of Economic Development to make dollars available to companies.

This briefing would not have been possible without the help and support of Orlando Baking Company, who hosted the event and provided a wonderful tour and delicious breakfast. Orlando Baking Company is a 138 year old growing family-owned state-of-the-art baking company on Cleveland’s eastside.