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Beavercreek company QQE ready to grow

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BEAVERCREEK — Calling it a “Great Ohio Story,” Gov. Mike DeWine and a cadre of other state and federal elected officials toured Quality Quartz Engineering in Beavercreek Tuesday to see what effect Intel’s $20 billion commitment to the state can have.

QQE calls itself the leader in fabricated high-purity quartz products for the semiconductor industry. Intel, which is holding an official groundbreaking of it’s central Ohio location, manufactures those semiconductors — also known as chips — that are crucial to the automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, data center, and defense sectors. To be successful, semiconductor manufacturers require sophisticated fabrication equipment and materials, such as quartz.

Partnering with leading original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the semiconductor industry, QQE provides those precision quartz materials to drive technology breakthroughs.

“One of the things that we said and one of the things that we knew when we were able to get the Intel deal done was not only were there suppliers in Ohio, but there are also suppliers to suppliers in Ohio,” DeWine said. “The impact of having Intel in Ohio, it was almost impossible to totally calculate what that was going to be.”

Although QQE moved from California to Ohio in 2020 — prior of Intel announcing it’s Ohio plans — company officials felt Ohio would be the place to be despite having a west coast and Idaho presence as well.

“We think it’s a very manufacturing friendly state,” President/CEO Ryan Kelly said. “It made sense for us to consolidate operations and move our headquarters here to Ohio. Once we did that we realized quickly this market was getting ready to go crazy and we didn’t want to be left behind.”

QQE — which is anchored on Orchard Lane — is tripling the size of its manufacturing capacity, according to Kelly, and has seen steady growth of nearly 60 percent in the last couple years.

“It’s a fun trend,” Kelly said. “It’s a really exciting time for us.”

According to Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, the semiconductor industry is expected to grow from a $500-550 billion industry to a $1.3 trillion industry during the next decade.

“Even though Intel is going to be in central Ohio, here we have a southwest Ohio company that’s going to grow and prosper because of that,” Husted said. “That’s the opportunity that comes our way as a state right now, to take advantage of locating and growing every supplier that we can for the semiconductor industry right here in Ohio.”

Intel’s expansion into Ohio is expected to add nearly 10,000 jobs — including 7,000 on the facility’s construction, according to U.S. Sen. Rob Portman. That will trickle down and create jobs to suppliers and companies like QQE.

It has already increased its headcount around 50 percent since Kelly and the other three shareholders acquired the company and more is anticipated. To help fill those jobs, QQE has partnered with Sinclair College to create a state certified apprenticeship program, where employees work half the time and attend school half the time — all paid for by QQE.

QQE has also partnered with the Greene County Career Center.

“We’ve gotten actively involved,” Kelly said. “We’ve hosted interns over the summer.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Dayton) said Intel’s expansion into Ohio and the growth of the industry that will follow is a great accomplishment for Ohio and the country.

“This is a story about jobs that are abroad that are going to be coming back, not just to America, but to Ohio itself,” Turner said.

Gov. Mike DeWine listens as QQE President/CEO Ryan Kelly explains what one of the company’s machines does. DeWine and a host of other elected officials toured the Beavercreek facility, which boasts itself as a leader in fabricated high-purity quartz products.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/09/web1_IMG_7519.jpgGov. Mike DeWine listens as QQE President/CEO Ryan Kelly explains what one of the company’s machines does. DeWine and a host of other elected officials toured the Beavercreek facility, which boasts itself as a leader in fabricated high-purity quartz products.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (left) and Gov. Mike DeWine get an up-close look at one of QQE’s machines.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/09/web1_IMG_7521.jpgLt. Gov. Jon Husted (left) and Gov. Mike DeWine get an up-close look at one of QQE’s machines.

QQE President/CEO Ryan Kelly introduces one of the company’s machinists to Gov. Mike DeWine during a tour Tuesday.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/09/web1_IMG_7524.jpgQQE President/CEO Ryan Kelly introduces one of the company’s machinists to Gov. Mike DeWine during a tour Tuesday.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (right) speak with QQE president/CEO Ryan Kelly on Tuesday.
https://www.xeniagazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/32/2022/09/web1_IMG_7528.jpgGov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (right) speak with QQE president/CEO Ryan Kelly on Tuesday.

By Scott Halasz

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Contact Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.