Hobart Institute Opens New Training Area

The Hobart Institute of Welding Technology (Troy, OH) opened their newest edition. The first ones to use the new welding booths included a group from the military and a few employees of Exxon Mobile who were taking part in two specialized training sessions. The new 6360 sq ft structure contains 52 new arc welding booths, universally equipped for all processes for high-scheduling flexibility and a state-of-the-art fume exhaust system.

The Hobart Institute that was established in 1930 has undergone several expansions throughout the years, most recently in 2005 with a major renovation. Revenue from skill training has more than doubled in the past eight years. To accommodate that capacity, more efficient use of existing space and an additional second shift was accomplished.

The Hobart Institute is currently operating at full capacity. This new construction enables the Institute to accommodate up to an additional 52 students on each shift. With a goal to maintain the architectural and aesthetic integrity of the original design, construction began in May by Ferguson Construction Company.

The Institute employs 40 people in instructional, administrative, and office support areas.  It is estimated that the economic impact of having the Hobart Institute in Troy amounts to between $6 million and $7 million annually as the students spend money for housing, meals, gasoline, recreation, and other basic supplies while attending classes for up to nine months.

It is often said that the true effect is two to three times that much, as the students’ expenditures pay someone else’s payroll and this then continues on indefinitely before the monies funnel out of the community.

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