VUJC Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing nearing completion

When one thinks of the manufacturing industry, one rarely thinks of words like “beautiful,” “comfortable” or “green.”

But Vincennes University Jasper Campus’ new Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing is all of that and more.

The lovely, 57,432 square-foot building is nearing completion. Furniture was installed last week.

The furnishings for the new building will largely come from local manufacturers (of the $706,720 budget, the local manufacturers’ share was $576,651). Anything local companies could supply was purchased from homegrown businesses, including Indiana Furniture Inc., Inwood Furniture, Jasper Desk, Jasper Seating, Kimball Office, Kimball National Office, OFS, Paoli Furniture and Versteel. In addition, the cabinetry was made by a small shop in Alfordsville, between Jasper and Loogootee.

“There is heavy manufacturing in this area,” notes Dr. Alan Johnson, VUJC Dean. “This campus has not been able to serve that sector.”

Back in 2007, Vincennes University approved opening two manufacturing/technology centers — one in Fort Branch in Gibson County and one in Jasper. The $12 million Fort Branch facility was built first but, before the bonds could be approved for the Jasper center, the recession struck and the Jasper site was put on hold.

Dean Johnson made good use of the time, leading several tours of the Vincennes campus, which features five manufacturing technology buildings, to demonstrate what could be offered. Representatives from schools, industry and government participated in the tours. An advisory committee was formed to help tailor the new building and the curriculum to fulfill the needs of the local area.

Vincennes University had $4 million on-hand to help fund the Jasper center. Nearly $1 million in pledges was secured, including the land on which the facility sits (MasterBrand donated 10 acres adjacent to the VU Jasper campus), plus contributions from Dubois Strong, county and city government. The VUJC Foundation solicited donations from the private sector and secured an additional $350,000 over the next three years.

“I’m so pleased with the local support,” Johnson says.

The new building, by far the largest on the VU Jasper Campus, is a two-story marvel of glass, brick, block and steel. A mosaic of the Vincennes University crest greets visitors from the terrazzo floor in the atrium, which stretches the full two stories and extends to a 3,000 square-foot CNC manufacturing lab at the rear of the building. Two smaller labs, tentatively earmarked for robotics and vocational purposes, connect to the huge CNC lab. Three more vocational labs — one of which Johnson hopes will become a business incubator — are located on the ground floor, along with offices, meeting rooms, several classrooms, an academic support center, student lounge and large lecture hall.

The lecture hall will seat 106 and will be equipped with Blu-ray, internet access, wireless microphone capabilities and “a big, honkin’ surround sound system,” Johnson grins.

The area of the atrium behind the stairs leading to the second floor will provide a showroom for local manufacturers to exhibit their trade-show items.

The building, in keeping with VUJC’s tradition of being environmentally friendly, makes use of renewable materials — lovely bamboo panels on the atrium ceiling and cork flooring in the student lounges, for example — plus energy-efficient radiant heat, double-pane, low E glass (lots of glass) and solar panels, which will supply some of the center’s electricity, plus provide opportunities to instruct in green construction. The building, while not LEED certified, will be LEED certifiable.

The second floor houses classrooms in various shapes and sizes, many with sinks, including a double classroom separated by a folding partition.

The second floor also boasts magnificent views, overlooking the city skyline as well as the acreage being used to demonstrate no-till farming, soil and water conservation.

The Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing will be the new home of Dubois Strong, as well as other workforce development agencies. A director will be appointed to act as a liaison with local companies and schools.

“We need to start engaging students when they’re in elementary, middle and high school to begin filling that pipeline for future demand,” Johnson notes.

The grand opening of the VUJC Center for Technology, Innovation and Manufacturing is slated for May 13-18.

“We’ll have different activities every day, aiming at different target groups,” Johnson explains.

Based on surveys completed by local manufacturers, offered classes may include drafting and design/CAD; an intensive CAD/CAM/CNC course; machine trades; tool and die; robotics; electronics; maintenance; computer networking; supply chain logistics management; and business support and leadership.

“We’re training students for high-end manufacturing positions,” Johnson says. “This is not your grandfather’s foundry work.”