National Polymer Innovation Center

The National Polymer Innovation Center (NPIC) is a contract services facility at the leading edge of advanced manufacturing and materials characterization. Supporting industry, national laboratories and the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering at The University of Akron, NPIC offers solutions in pilot-scale processing, surface and structural analysis, physical and chemical characterization, and more.

The University of Akron's traditional role in polymer education has been at the master's and doctoral levels, but it is well-known that growth of manufacturing jobs occur in geographic regions that have a labor force trained for the shop floor. To better meet the needs of the polymer industry, Akron Polymer Training Services, which began in the fall of 1993, pulls together various components of the University for expanded job-related training.