×

TBEIC: Energy, innovation

By VIRGINIA SHANK

Tribune Chronicle

WARREN – Joseph Balest hadn’t realized how little some people know about 3-D printing until recently when he invited local residents to see what he does inside the Tech Belt Energy Innovation Center downtown. Balest and his business partner, Jeff Keel, have set up operations for their Alios 3D Additive Manufacturing and Design business at the innovation center, or TBEIC, at 125 W. Market St., Warren. Last weekend, during the city’s Holiday Hop, Balest set up a 3-D printer in a front area of TBEIC to allow passersby to see through the building’s large windows what he was doing inside – printing a small statue of the Trumbull County Courthouse.

“It was a big community event and a lot of people were walking around, out on the street, so I invited them in to see how it all works,” Balest explained. He used a picture of the courthouse he adapted for his pattern and proceeded to print the miniature replica in 3D.

“A lot of people said they’d heard of 3D printing, but hadn’t actually seen it,” Balest said. “It was interesting to see their reactions.”

Dave Nestic, chief executive at TBEIC (pronounced T-Bike), said that’s how it is with a lot of the work taking place at the energy-based business incubator. TBEIC secured its occupancy certificate for the 27,000-square-foot building late in 2014 and finally officially opened early this year in the former S.S. Kresge Co. Department Store, years after discussions first began in 2009.

Alios 3D was the first business to take up residency.

Nestic said part of the work now involves educating the public about what the incubator is and what it means to the community.

The center provides a place for energy-based start ups to – well – get started. TBEIC recently held an open house and is planning other events to spread the word.

The incubator had been under construction for several years, but is now ready for full occupancy. The site now offers access to space for a technology lab, a conference area, meeting rooms, demonstration areas and office space where high-tech energy start-up companies can set up shop.

Nestic explained the facility along Courthouse Square is intended to support development of clean technology and creation and storing of energy. The $3.3 million project was funded in large part by public money, including a $2.2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant and a nearly $1 million, two-year Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit.

Nestic said an immediate goal is to continue working out lease agreements and filling the office areas and work spaces with tenants. He said TBEIC has already surpassed expectations for 2015 as five companies – two more than initially projected – have set up residence before year’s end.

“I’d say that’s pretty good, because the goal was to have three, and we still have time. We’re looking at the possibility of there being seven by the end of the year,” he said.

Alios moved into a space on the first floor in April. Other TBEIC resident companies are:

Yanhai Power, a fuel-cell component company;

FirstFuelCells.com, a fuel-cell-powered robotics competition company;

Sky Harvest Energy, a renewable-energy project company; and

Ashlawn Energy, a flow-battery company.

Nestic responded to critics about the amount of time the project has taken.

“Incubators take time, it’s a growth process, we’re on that growth curve,” Nestic said.

After years of discussions, plans finally started to take shape in 2008 to 2009 for the business incubator, then called the Warren Technology and Business Center for Energy Sustainability. The name was later changed and planning for TBEIC began in 2009.

The board was formed and early funding was secured in 2010. The agreement to purchase the downtown Warren building from Taylor Holdings Co. was announced in October 2010, but the transaction was not final until the next year.

Phase I of the $3.3 million project was originally projected to be completed by mid-2011. That date was later adjusted to 2012. Much of 2014 was spent renovating the building and securing its occupancy permit. Late last year, BDM Warren Steel Holdings, which purchased Warren’s former RG Steel mill out of bankruptcy for $17 million in September 2012, donated the old RG office building and its contents to TBEIC, expanding the incubator from one site to two. TBEIC is using furniture from the RG building for its downtown site. Other furniture is being purchased with grant money.

Nestic said two areas of particular interest are the battery test station being developed in the incubator’s basement and the tech room where a 100 gigabit fiber optic internet system will be housed. Use of this area has been under discussion for years.

“It’s enough that it would light up downtown Warren,” Nestic said, adding that the high speed internet service is available to the incubator’s resident businesses.

TBEIC, through the JumpStart Entrepreneurial Network, has worked with dozens of companies throughout the networks 21-county region in Northeast Ohio.

“There’s a lot going on, a lot inside these walls, but also a lot outside,” Nestic said. “There’s growth in the future. It takes a lot of effort, and time, but we are moving in that direction.”

Balest said 3D’s move into the incubator is working out well for the company.

“It’s what we needed an office, a place to work that we could afford, where we could really get started,” Balest said. “It really is a solution for a company like ours trying to get off the ground.”

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
     

Starting at $4.85/week.

Subscribe Today