NorTech

As reported in Saturday’s Plain Dealer, Ohio’s high tech exports are up 19% from last year-nearly double the national average. The good news comes from a recent report, “Cyberstates 2007: A Complete State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry,” produced by AeA, a trade organization formerly known as the American Electronics Association. To download a copy of the report, click here.

From the Plain Dealer:

In a state known for its smokestacks, it might come as a surprise that Ohio’s exports of high-tech goods increased by 19 percent in 2006 - nearly double the national average.Less surprising is that most of the companies driving that growth are in the industrial electronics industry, according to a study released this week by AeA, a trade organization formerly known as the American Electronics Association. Those companies make electrical parts for machinery, ranging from measuring equipment to robotic controls.”Ohio has always had a strong manufacturing base,” said AeA spokesman Ed Longanecker. He said companies that make high-tech products for that industry are seeing the biggest growth in exports, especially as manufacturing operations move overseas.  

High-tech exports nationwide increased 10 percent to $220 billion, with 37 states seeing increases. California, Texas and Florida were the top three exporters, respectively.  

Ohio ranked sixteenth in the country overall, and seventh for exports in the industrial electronics industry, the study said. The latter increased by 20 percent from $1 billion in 2005 to $1.2 billion in 2006.”Ohio has put a really strong focus on the areas that we believe we’re good at,” said Chris Mather, vice president of NorTech, an organization that aims to build Northeast Ohio’s technology industry. “Hopefully this shows that all the work we’ve done to improve the high-tech economy here is starting to pay off.”  

Mr. Mather is referring to the region’s high tech companies focused on production of high tech electronics manufacturing, including: Rockwell Automation, ABB, Keithley Instruments, Parker Hannifin and smaller companies as well. Groups such as NorTech’s Northeast Ohio Electronics Cluster and Ohio ICE (which stands for Instruments, Controls and Electronics) help to convene Northeast Ohio’s electronics industry and academic leaders to spur collaborations to and commercialize more electronics based products in the region.

The State of Ohio’s Third Frontier Project, has also helped Ohio’s high tech industries by awarding grants for companies to continue their research and development efforts to commercialize high tech products and services. In fact, nearly $300 million has been invested in Northeast Ohio companies, organizations and institutions over the past five years, according to an article in Sunday’s Plain Dealer. These types of investments can begin to move our regional and state technology economy forward and make Ohio a leader in technology innovation and product commercialization.