Clemson opens Center for Emerging Technologies at CU-ICAR

GREENVILLE, SC – May 2, 2012 – Underscoring its reputation as aleader in collaboration, Clemson University Wednesday officially openedits first multi-tenant building at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR).

Located at the heart of CU-ICAR, the Center for Emerging Technologiesprovides office, administrative and laboratory space for thetransportation, technology and energy sectors.

Above photo: The Center for Emerging Technologies image by: Clemson University

 

Emerging or established companies are able to expand and developtechnologies that complement the research of Clemson faculty andstudents. The center is designed to complete the technology chain fromlaboratory to the consumer end-user.

 

Clemson University President James F. Barker said CU-ICAR, throughthe people who visit the campus every day, operates as a community.CU-ICAR’s worldwide reputation is the result of its successfulpartnerships, he said.

 

Since 2004, the CU-ICAR campus has garnered 19 corporate partners, 30research partners and 775 employees across 760,000 constructed squarefeet. Occupied square footage is 375,000.

 

“We help companies make connections and build relationships,” Barkersaid. “We leverage Clemson’s extensive networks to build bridges andopen doors.”

The 60,000-square-foot state-of the-art center represents aninvestment of $11 million. The Clemson University Real Estate Foundationreceived $3 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration and a $740,000 zero-interest loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

John Kelly, Clemson vice president for economic development, said thecenter’s success is testament to CU-ICAR’s reputation as the premierlocation for the automotive technology sector. 

More than a dozen companies and groups are established in the center, including Sage Automotive Interiors, a spinoff company started by former employees of Milliken and Co. who purchased the company’s automotive fabric division. Sage willoccupy approximately 16,000 square feet of space in the center.

In less than a decade, CU-ICAR has become a model for economic development.

“CU-ICAR is  an automotive ecosystem that helps companies makeconnections and build relationships,” Kelly said said. “The Center forEmerging Technologies is the embodiment of that business model, and weare eager to see our newest partners flourish.”

The center is located on property adjacent to the AutoPark and towerhousing the CU-ICAR Partnership Office, St. Francis VRUM fitness centerand TD Bank Gallery in Technology Neighborhood One. 

List of tenants

Office/lab tenants

• Clemson Computing and Information Technology (CCIT) — 4,725 square feet
• Sage Automotive Interiors — 16,271 square feet
• MTC Federal Credit Union — 1,983 square feet
• South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) — 1,115 square feet
• Thermo-Pur Technologies LLC — 2,913 square feet
• Focus Chemical — 2,719 square feet
• CU-ICAR Supplier Testing Laboratory — 8,942 square feet

Technology Café Tenants

• CADFEM U.S. Inc.
• L&L Products LLC
• Cooliemon Technologies Inc.
• Mallett Technology Inc.
• InnoVenture LLC
• DreamWeaver International Inc.
• Mumford Industries Inc.
• Clemson University Manufacturing Workforce Initiative
• Toho Tenax