Austin Anthony
It's not so common nowadays that you hear Chattanooga referred to as the Dynamo of Dixie – a nickname that once reflected the city's wide-ranging foundries and factories.
Many of those early companies continued to grow and prosper, providing employment to Chattanoogans throughout the 20th century and generating wealth that would enhance education, philanthropy and civic life in our city.
Of course, that sector of our economy was not without its share of problems – most notably the resulting air pollution that undermined the area's name. Luckily, a critical mass of local business willpower, national expertise and funding, local policy shifts, scalable tech solutions and nonprofit involvement brought our city from “the dirtiest” in 1969 to being twice voted Outside magazine’s Best Town Ever.
Over time Chattanooga rebranded itself from the Dynamo of Dixie to the Scenic City of the South, or just the Scenic City. Fortunately, however, the city hasn't entirely lost its industrial dynamo moxie – not by a long shot.
In today’s economy, global businesses can choose to grow or expand anywhere in the world. But more and more major companies are deciding to invest and create jobs in the Greater Chattanooga region because of an unbeatable economic environment, a centralized, accessible location and incredibly low tax burdens.
Today, local manufacturing is kick starting a new wave of economic growth and sustainability in the region. We've compiled a list of five things you probably didn't know are made in Chattanooga.
Fillauer Prosthetics
The prosthetics industry is rapidly growing, allowing patients to better customize their devices, control them using their nervous system, and even regain a sense of touch. These cutting-edge wonders are being made right here in Chattanooga at Fillauer LLC. Fillauer LLC employs over 100 people, and they design, manufacture and customize quality products to serve their local and international customer base. The company manufactures more than 3,200 orthotic and prosthetic products with a wide range from pediatric to adult components. Offering more than a dozen styles, Fillauer LLC is best known for their Prosthetic Suspension Lock Systems. Fillauer LLC continually strengthens a tradition that began more than 90 years ago as an innovator in the design and development of high-quality products. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.
AdTech Ceramics
The global advanced ceramics market is expected to reach USD 134.58 billion by 2024. Riding the wave of this exponential growth is local industrial ceramics manufacturer AdTech Ceramics. Originally established over 100 years ago in Chattanooga, AdTech has built on its rich history with substantial investments in HTCC Al2O3 and multilayer AIN electronic packaging product lines. In addition, the company's ceramic injection molding capability provides for the manufacture of complex ceramic components available metallized and plated, as part of a brazed assembly or unmetallized. Also, to impress your friends of your newfound ceramic knowledge, co-fired ceramic technology was first invented in Chattanooga at AdTech Ceramics. Yet another point we can add to our bragging list. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.
Davron Technologies
Virtually every manufactured product requires the introduction of heat at some point during the production process. Purchasing the proper piece of thermal processing equipment (industrial ovens) is rarely a casual or easy consideration. Davron Technologies, Inc. custom fabricates industrial ovens, providing turnkey design and system integration services to develop thermal processing solutions. Davron is a total industrial oven manufacturer, creating custom industrial ovens and precision process equipment for every industry that requires thermal processing. The company takes a personal approach to each oven design and customers appreciate the extra attention devoted to making each oven more suitable to their specific applications. As the Provider of Industrial Oven Solutions, Davron offers one of the largest selections of in-house and on-site industrial oven services in the world. For further information, visit their website or their Facebook page.
Newcomb Spring Corp
Leading the industrial pack in metal form and spring manufacturing for over a century, Newcomb Spring emanates quality expertise combined with an intimate, family operated atmosphere. The unrivaled staff at Newcomb Spring custom manufactures stampings, springs and wire forms for customers across the globe. For their dedicated and persevering spirit, Newcomb Spring is known as the “Kan-Do” company (a play on their Kando Tech Center), a name that compliments the entrepreneurial environment of Chattanooga. Newcomb Spring also focuses on innovation in its plants, adding proprietary and purchased technologies. Recently, Newcomb Spring added robotic automation to its operations as part of the company’s continued effort to improve efficiency and quality. Talk about futuristic technology. For further information, check out their website or their Facebook page.
Aegle Gear
With their intricate and modern design, Aegle Gear uniforms effortlessly elicit the attention of a hospital ward. But, these uniforms are more than ergonomically and aesthetically pleasing. They are “super” uniforms. Aegle Gear approaches clothing design and technology like an athletic gear company but modifies it specifically to the needs and demands of health care professionals. Not only are Aegle Gear’s uniforms comfortable, attractive and tough, they’re also fluid-resistant and treated with antimicrobial technology that eliminates infectious germs. The goal is to make employees happier, reduce hospital-associated infections and give hospitals a visibility augmentation through a sleek, branded look. The work of health care providers is relentlessly challenging. Rapid technological advancements, chaotic environments, higher patient acuity and a plethora of other factors place enormous pressures on health care workers every day. Aegle Gear understands the complex responsibilities of the health care worker. For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.
As we look forward to the promising future of Chattanooga, let us remember that this current generation of manufacturing experts holds the promise of innovation, success and progress in their hands. With unwavering support from our community, we're poised to carry on the Dynamo of Dixie legacy for centuries to come.
