BRYAN, OH, October 5, 2017 — The Bard Manufacturing Company has broken ground for the James R. Bard Center for HVAC Innovation & Design at their Bryan, Ohio, headquarters. This multi-million-dollar project will add 15,000 square feet to the current facility and will consist of collaborative work spaces and a new psychrometric test lab.
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.
Pictured at the groundbreaking for the James R. Bard Center for HVAC Innovation & Design are: (from left) Pam Bard Steel (Bard Chairman of Managing Partners), Jeremy Aschemeier (The Spieker Company), Kent Purk (Beilharz Architects), Terry McBride (Bard Director of Advanced Manufacturing), Jim Bard, Joan Bard, Megan Steel (representing the 5th generation of the Bard family), Chuck Bonam (Bard Vice President, Engineering), and Bill Steel (Bard President and CEO).
The creation of the facility is made possible by the generosity of 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,” stated 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. Doing 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.
James R. Bard Center for HVAC Innovation & Design has broken ground with completion planned for Summer 2018.
About Bard Manufacturing
The Bard Manufacturing Company has developed advanced technologies and innovations in the HVAC industry for more than 100 years. We are the industry’s leading innovator of wall-mount air conditioning and heat pump technology. Founded as a heating and plumbing contracting business in 1914 by Dale Bard, the company remains family-owned four generations later.
Bard is committed to the highest quality in the engineering and manufacturing of climate control solutions. We strive for continuous improvement, testing each unit individually before it is shipped. Bard serves many markets including schools, equipment shelters and telecom, modular, light commercial and mobile, and residential.
Our corporate offices are located in Bryan, Ohio. An additional wall-mount manufacturing facility is in Madison, Georgia, and a coil production plant is located in Saltillo, Mexico. These modern, state-of-the art facilities allow Bard to deliver innovative, high-quality products to an ever-expanding global marketplace.
We pride ourselves on providing reliable technical service and customer support in a responsive friendly manner. Our rich history in Bryan, Ohio, and our commitment to our community continues to this day.
