Columbus Chamber | CRLC February Quick Six

A Word from Zakee Bashir

Hello CRLC Members!

I hope you are off to a great start this year and bringing the momentum of a new year into all your meetings and interactions. The Columbus Chamber and many of our partners are hosting some exciting meetings/events in the next month, please check out the events calendar at the bottom of this newsletter and columbus.org/events for the latest!

AMPLIFY | Columbus Chamber Annual Meeting 2022

The Columbus Chamber’s Annual Meeting, presented by The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center, is our grandest event of the year - one of the largest gatherings of Columbus Region business and community leaders. The event will recognize the recipient of the prestigious Columbus Award, celebrate small business leaders with the presentation of the Small Business Leader Award and provide valuable insights on how the Columbus Chamber connects businesses to resources that help them flourish and thrive.

CRLC Featured Member

Ohio Poised for Economic Development in the Electric Vehicle Battery Logistics Supply Chain

Brandon Jones, Consulting Services Manager, Clean Fuels Ohio

A number of recent factory development projects, coupled with newly released economic reporting, are indicating that Ohio is establishing itself as a key player in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain. This is not just great news for the communities who will experience the job growth these battery technology factories will bring, but also for the logistics industry in Ohio that will be called upon to support this new supply chain.

With the projected rise in demand for EVs over the coming decades, US manufacturers in the lithium-ion battery industry and related supply chain are investing now in growing their operations. Ohio, with its history and infrastructure in the automotive industry and its regional advantage in offering strategic geographic access to both key manufacturing areas and end users, is an attractive target for economic development in this sector.

A recent report from JobsOhio, with support from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC), concluded as much about Ohio’s advantages in attracting new businesses in the EV battery supply chain. The report states that while Ohio may not be the first location that comes to mind when we think battery production—due to its limitations in raw material and mineral access—the state nevertheless has a strong case to make because “the region’s capacity and Ohio’s infrastructure and logistics are well developed” (12).

This argument about Ohio’s attractiveness to the EV battery industry and its opportunity for economic and workforce development in the state is already bearing itself out.

The first and perhaps most significant domino to fall was the GM-LG Chem joint venture Ultium Cells lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant, which broke ground in May 2020 and is near completion. This marked Ohio as one of the first US states to successfully attract EV battery manufacturing.

Now, in 2022, there are reports that Intel has chosen to build a new, $20 billion semiconductor chip plant in Licking County, estimated to employ 3,000 workers. And Hyperion, a hydrogen fuel-cell manufacturer, announced it will be moving its headquarters from Orange, CA to Columbus where it will employ nearly 700 workers.

Both of these recent developments demonstrate the momentum that continues to build in Ohio around advanced vehicle manufacturing technologies, including and beyond the EV battery supply chain. With this trajectory of vehicle manufacturing growth, the logistics industry in central Ohio and throughout the state should be prepared for corresponding success.

CRLC Community Needs & Resources

Do you need space? Do you have a new product or service? Do you want to make a big announcement about a unique service? Do you want to get a message out to the entire 200+ CRLC membership? Reach out to me directly at ZakeeBashir@columbus.org to be featured here and get the connections you are looking for!

CRLC LinkedIn Group

Join the CRLC LinkedIn Group. Our CRLC business network is a catalyst for advocacy and promoting a competitive logistics industry in Central Ohio. Connect with shippers, manufacturers, cargo and freight carriers, warehouse, distribution providers, third-party logistics, and service providers to the logistics industry.

Workforce

Kelly Fuller, VP of Talent & Workforce Development

Reach out directly to the VP of Talent & Workforce Development, Kelly Fuller, at KellyFuller@columbus.org for more information.

Working Class

As many of you know, before coming to the Chamber in 2018, I worked for 15 years in public education. In my case, those years were spent with Eastland Fairfield Career and Technical Schools in a role that allowed me to connect businesses to high school students.

The aspect of the job I loved most was connecting students to workplaces that were open and willing to onboard them with intention and invest in their development. That certainly was a win for both the student and the employer, as the company could then tap into an emerging workforce; rich with ideas for innovation, enthusiasm for learning, and the continued support of a teacher and an entire school system devoted to their work based success. That commitment from the school often resulted in solutions to barriers like transportation, workplace attire, necessary equipment/tools, etc.

As we all continue to fight the battle for talent, one thing is abundantly clear. We need to train more people to fill the current 11 million job openings in the U.S. Many of those positions are seeking skills that may not demand a Bachelor’s degree. And right now, Gen Z is considering all of their options for career and lifestyle. What is happening is a sea change from the days of “the only path to success is a 4-year college degree".