Bard Manufacturing Company has broken ground for the James R. Bard Center for HVAC Innovation & Design at its Bryan, OH headquarters. This multi-million-dollar project will add 15,000 sq ft to the current facility and will consist of collaborative work spaces and a new psychrometric test lab.

The company says the purpose of the innovation center is to improve new product development and speed-to-market capabilities, and to help make northwest Ohio a hub for HVAC engineering and innovation.

“Our goal is to create the next generation of engineering innovation that will increase our ability to help advance customer and industry needs,” stated Bard President and CEO Bill Steel.

The creation of the facility is made possible by Jim and Joan Bard. Jim retired in 2003 as president after 43 years with the company.

“Naming the center the James R. Bard Center for HVAC Innovation & Design honors Jim’s legacy of service and significant importance to the company,” stated Steel. Bard has been a family-owned and operated business for 103 years and four generations.

“The work spaces in the new center will help us all work together better and more collaboratively,” said Pam Bard Steel, Bard’s chairman of managing partners. “We want to be a magnet in northwest Ohio for creating jobs and bringing in skilled trades.”

Bard is looking to attract more engineers and add more lab technicians to support the new psychrometric test lab. Officials said this will result in bringing additional new products to market faster and will create the need for more production people to support the process.

The center is currently under construction and is expected to be open in summer 2018. The project was designed by Beilharz Architects and the general contractor is The Spieker Company.