With technology, rural businesses can broaden scope

Schools and businesses play a large role in advancing innovators to high technology pioneers, even in the most remote areas of Centre County.

UMI Performance, located at 509 Hemlock St., in Philipsburg, is just one company in the Moshannon Valley creating jobs by implementing technology on its assembly lines.

“Just today we are adding two new CNC-based (computer numerical control) machines. More machines mean even more potential for job growth,” said Ramey Womer, UMI engineering, sales and suspension design manager.

The company, which was formed in 2002, develops and manufactures aftermarket suspension products for vehicles.

In just 14 years, they’ve experienced “8 to 12 percent sales growth each year. Our goal is for UMI to be the recognized leader in aftermarket automotive performance suspension,” Womer said.

Technology has played a huge role in that growth.

“We use computer-aided drafting and finite element analysis, which requires skilled draftsmen to electronically build and test parts. We still have knowledgeable machine operators using our CNC programmed technology,” Womer said.

“One important point to make about technology is that with the Internet and computers, companies can locate in rural areas and function just as effectively and efficiently as if they were in a more urban area,” said Stan LaFuria, executive director of the Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership.

“Instead of waiting for a mill to become open or finish a job, we can have a prototype added on the fly and cut multiple jobs with one sheet of metal. We need laser programmers who know how to design the programs these computers rely on. They are also on hand to troubleshoot problems that arise as issues do,” Womer said.

They are also creating jobs.

“We’ve hired engineers, we’ve hired skilled people to refine cut parts, jobs that can only be done by specialized people,” Womer said.

UMI operates out of a 35,000-square-foot facility with 35 employees.

Adding technology has created a more efficient and precise assembly line. They are now using a laser to cut sheet metal.

“UMI performance manufactures automotive suspension parts. We are building equipment out of metal. One of the newest pieces of equipment we’ve acquired is a laser cutter. Instead of cutting metal with a milling machine, we can now cut it with a laser. It helps with efficiency and precision and our prototyping time.”

The first car the company ever serviced was a 1994 Ford Mustang GT, which set the beginning stages of UMI’s Fox and SN95 platform products.

“In the old days, you had to crank a handle to get the milling machine to move an inch, now you just click a button and a computer controlled servo-motor takes care of it.”

While some contend that adding technology eliminates manufacturing jobs, Womer said that it’s actually helped UMI because “it requires the same amount of people, or occasionally more.”

“The machines require highly skilled people to operate them. And the laser actually requires us to add welders (the machines and the people) because we produce so many parts,” Womer said.

“I believe that our school districts are doing a good job of providing that training; a key issue with technology is having people in the area who are able to use the technology; we have to look to our school districts that get young people started with that training; other important organizations as it pertains to workforce training are the technology centers: Clearfield County Career & Technology Center, and the Central PA Institute of Science and Technology located in Pleasant Gap,” LaFuria said.

The Moshannon Valley Economic Development Partnership offers companies like UMI Performance, interested in opening manufacturing plants in Philipsburg, low cost building space and land.

“Within the past year and a half, three new companies have located to our Moshannon Valley Enterprise Center: Polymics Ltd., EC Power Inc., and most recently PolyK; these are companies that are involved in using technology to build ‘better mousetraps,’ so to speak. Nittany Laser Technologies develops laser technologies to help other companies improve their products or services,” LaFuria said.

This story was originally published February 12, 2016 at 11:59 AM with the headline "With technology, rural businesses can broaden scope."