Lamoncha family manufacturing center dedicated

YOUNGSTOWN -- A dedication program took place at the Lamoncha Family Center for Advanced Manufacturing on Tuesday.

The center was renamed in honor of the Lamoncha family to recognize their role in industry in the Mahoning Valley, specifically Mark Lamoncha, CEO of Humtown Products of Columbiana and Boardman, a manufacturing company that specializes in 3D printing.

Operated by YBI, formerly known as the Youngstown Business Incubator, the center acts as a hub for 3D printing and additive manufacturing, and houses industrial equipment and workspaces.

According to Brandon Lamoncha, this venture between the Lamoncha family and YBI started when "we saw the need for the next generation of what was gonna happen in the metal casting industry. When we started seeing the advent of additive manufacturing, we said, 'If we don't stay close to this, we're not gonna have a space.'

"We knew that we needed a partner in doing that because it was very expensive, and that's where the Youngstown Business Incubator (came in). They were bringing together people that were in that space, so we came there for help and guidance to help us along with that."

The Lamoncha family pitched the idea to the YBI by citing practical applications of 3D printing already used by major companies, and at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing.

"We had to kinda pitch to them why it was gonna be the next thing. At the time, Ford Motor Company was one of the only companies in the United States that was using the technology. They had some pretty supportive use cases where they were prototyping engines," Lamoncha said.

"They were able to use this printer that would basically do the same job in a few weeks, and at a fraction of the cost. So we educated the Youngstown Business Incubator on what the plan would be, and then we gave them some case studies of what had been done in the industry, and they bought into that and helped support us."

Lamoncha also noted Humtown Products' practical use of 3D printing, and how their work has allowed them to partner with some of the country's largest companies.

"We have over 30 people in Boardman running these printers 24 hours a day, seven days a week for some of the largest companies in the world," Lamoncha said. "(General Electric), Caterpillar, Cummins, they're all using this technology to give them a competitive advantage so that they're able to bring manufacturing here to the United States."

Lamoncha hopes that this strong pivot to 3D printing, with a focus on aerospace, will help reinvigorate manufacturing to northeast Ohio and attract companies to do business in the Mahoning Valley.

"For the first time, we're seeing businesses come in, and we're seeing buildings being filled up, not empty," Lamoncha said.

"These buildings were vacant for years, and now we're actually filling them with people that are building 3D printing equipment. We're going to have one of the most advanced aerospace innovation hubs in the country, (and) it's going to be right here in Youngstown."

Lamoncha elaborated on the focus on aerospace, saying that they hope to attract major defense companies and military contractors who may be in need of 3D printing and additive manufacturing services.

"This is going to be an area of focus only on aerospace and defense," Lamoncha said. "It'll be very specialized for just aerospace and defense, bringing in a lot of the Department of War prime contractors like Raytheon, Lockheed (Martin and) Boeing. All of them that have a need in the industry will be able to come here."

The dedication program included several guests, including state Rep. Nick Santucci, R-Niles; state Rep. Monica Blasdel, R-New Waterford; YBI CEO Barb Ewing; and Youngstown State University President Bill Johnson.