LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Positive news is coming from the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, as more Abrams and Stryker vehicles roll off the production line.
Task Force Lima heard how the JSMC will be working solidly through 2025, and Congress is looking at approving another 2 billion dollars for the plant in the next appropriations bill. That's a big difference from a decade ago when there were talks about closing the plant down because they were producing one tank a month. Now other countries could be bringing even more work to the Lima defense manufacturer on top of the U.S. production. A couple of dozen Abrams tanks have been sent to Ukraine so far this year to help with the war effort. The task force is planning a trip to Washington, D.C. next year to tell congressional members about the importance of the plant to west central Ohio and around the world.
"You never want to rest, you don't want to just be talking to decision makers when things are not looking good. You also want to go down and tell when this story is a positive story and there are a lot of positive stories that were shared today that we want to, that the group really wants to go down and ensure they hear what is being done here, again the awesome machines that are being produced, you know when requested and being done and yeah, we want to be down there and share that," explained Cory Noonan, Allen County Commissioner.
The task force also talked about getting the next generation of the workforce ready for the plant with programs at local career tech and high schools. Currently, there are around 900 employees who work at the JSMC for General Dynamics and the government combined.
