Yesterday the NorTech team spent the day in Mansfield touring the Braintree business incubator courtesy of Braintree’s Executive Director, Bob Cohen.

Most people probably wouldn’t associate Mansfield, located midway between Columbus and Cleveland (yet definitely considered a part of Northeast Ohio, with high tech) but then most people haven’t spent a day with Bob meeting and talking to the entrepreneurs who have literally mortgaged their homes and put their futures on the line to build next generation manufacturing operations. We don’t have the time or the space to cover all the great things happening at Braintree, but these three examples should give you a sense of where manufacturing is heading in Mansfield:

The Solid Edge CAD/CAM software Mark Hess of Hess Industries uses allows him to apply the principles of artful making by iteratively designing and refining parts on the computer before finalizing the die components and moving into final manufacturing. The expertise and knowledge of these skilled machinists—who previously would have to spend weeks working by hand and through trial-and-error before knowing a part was properly shaped to the correct tolerances—can now be captured and leveraged by sophisticated software that allows Mark and his team to engineer the specs for new parts in just hours or days. The machines used to build the dies and mold the final product are also run by computer, allowing Hess to keep his team small but its output high.

Fidelis Automation, Inc. also uses the latest technology to help its customers produce quality products at lower cost: the key to competing in today’s market. The best way to accomplish this goal, according to company president Doug Minnear, is through automation. Unlike other automation companies, however, Fidelis handles every aspect of an automation project—from initial design and programming through finished product.

And then there’s Mark and Scott Huffman of Graywacke Engineering—two incredibly bright problem-solvers always on the hunt for the simplest possible solution to a problem.

Their approach has led them to design and build products such as the NATO Power Jack and Pneumatic Bore Brush that have already saved millions of dollars for the military. While the company is most definitely a manufacturing operation, it is clearly the knowledge side of manufacturing—the brain power and problem-solving skills this company brings to the table—that is driving this company’s success.

The residents of the Braintree incubator all rely on each other for advice, support, and networking, and on Bob Cohen to keep Braintree functioning and growing. As amazed as we were by what Bob and his resident companies have accomplished, we couldn’t help but wonder how much more could be done with a little more help and support.

This is true entrepreneurial bootstrapping in action—these companies may be small today, but their adaptability and easy embrace of technology highlights the potential for advanced manufacturing in the region.