The nation’s first Smart Factory Institute is opening in Chattanooga at the Volkswagen Academy where companies will have access to ways to improve manufacturing and advanced technology.
With $400,000 in state funds and help from the private sector, including Volkswagen, manufacturers will access connections, collaborative relationships and certifications for bettering manufacturing processes by providing them with access to the latest technology, officials said.
The institute is a part of a network of international academies operated by the Deutsche Messe Technology Academy in Hanover, Germany, a joint project between Deutsche Messe and the Volkswagen Group Academy.
Thomas Rilke, division manager of the academy, said he’s excited about the opening of the location in Chattanooga.
“As we continue to expand our global network, it was only natural to open a location in the United States, one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world,” he said. “The exchange of key industrial technologies for the optimization of production processes between suppliers and users is one of our core objectives.”
Denise Rice, president & CEO of the workforce training firm Peak Performance Inc., said the Smart Factory Institute will provide leading edge remote and online training for manufacturing workers.
The institute will allow manufacturers the opportunity to experience and learn of newly innovated technologies to help ease the transition to new technological advancements in the workplace, officials said.
Bradley Jackson, president & CEO of the Tennessee Manufacturers Association, said the institute is “a business-driven effort driving innovation and technology and positioning Tennessee as a true leader for advanced manufacturing technology.”
Also, the institute will work closely with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s Industrial and Organizational Psychology program to provide experts and best practices, officials said.
The official opening date is Oct. 1, or National Manufacturing Day.
This is a developing story.
