March 20, 2007

JSMC breaks ground on $11.5 million building

By BART MILLS
bmills@limanews.com 419-993-2184

LIMA — The cold and constant drizzle of rain made Monday a relatively bitter day for a groundbreaking. But for Keith Deters, it was all sunshine.

Deters, plant manager for the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, was joined by a dozen-or-so local political and business leaders in a groundbreaking ceremony for the plant’s new $11.5 million command and control facility. But it was more than just a celebration of bricks and mortar. The new building is a symbol of faith in the plant’s future.

“When you look at the opportunities, it will get you excited about the future here,” Deters said. “It wasn’t very long ago that we were very worried about that.”

It was just a little more than a year ago that Lima officials fought to keep the plant off the federal Base Closure and Realignment Commission list. For those same leaders, the new construction project is a sign that not only is the plant safe, it’s growing.

“Good things are happening here because of a commitment by the people here and because, nationally, people understanding the importance of what is done here,” said Rep. Jim Jordan.

The two-story, 42,000-squarefoot facility will include a new sentry station, two conference rooms with teleconferencing capability, and a display gallery for new products. The facility will include a sustainable design incorporating “green” technology such as high-efficiency electrical motors, recycled building materials and water-efficient landscaping.

On the high-tech end, the building will include an 1,800-square-foot virtual reality area for design development and technology demonstrations as well as an 1,800-square-foot computer systems control center that integrates engineering designs and parameters with machine controllers on the manufacturing floor.

All that advanced technology is necessary in today’s military manufacturing business, according to John P. Dugan, deputy to the commander at the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command.

“This reflects the direction our military and industrial base are heading in the future,” Dugan said.

The plant’s existing administrative and security building, constructed in 1942, will be torn down to make room for the new facility. Construction is expected to be completed in March 2008.