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I. Home
Dometic Corporation, with their USA headquarters in Elkhart, develops and manufactures RV, Marine, Commercial Vehicle, and Hotel Equipment. Their awning production facility, pictured here, has undergone a transformation over the past 6 years to the point that today, every one of the thousands of awnings produced daily are custom built to the specifications of the customer. (Photo credit: Deneen Studios)
Globally, the economy we're living in changes quickly and is highly
complex. Innovation, not cheap labor, is the key to global
competitiveness and the rise of the Third World. Locally, Elkhart
County's economy has a history of entrepreneurship and creativity. But
after Bayer bought Miles Laboratories and proceeded to shut it down,
many feared that innovation in the County was waning. One fact proves
this fear is unfounded–Elkhart County has one of the highest
per
capita number of patents in the state: higher than Indianapolis, higher
than West Lafayette (Purdue University), significantly higher than St.
Joseph County.
Building off of a database of 24,618 patents Indiana companies have
issued since 1976 (the date electronic data are first available), this
report attempts to answer the following key questions, within the
context of the new global economy:
- How does Elkhart County compare to the rest of the state?
- Who are the key innovators in the County?
- What are they actually creating?
Table of Contents
- Historical Context: A brief summary of Elkhart County's history of innovation
- Conclusions: Major conclusions drawn from the compiled data
- Indiana Data: Elkhart County compared to the rest of the state
- Who: Top 50 assignees receiving patents
- How many: Patents issued by year, distribution among assignees
- Where: Where patents are being issued throughout the state
- What: Types of patents issued
- Elkhart County Data:
- Who: Top 50 assignees receiving patents
- How many: Patents issued by year, distribution among assignees
- Where: Where patents are being issued in the County
- What: Types of patents issued
- Innovators' Index: A database of all companies
issued patents in Elkhart County since 1976
- About Patents: What patents are, what they're worth, the difference between a "good" and "bad" patent, and more information
- Methodology: An explanation of the methodology used in creating this report
Report compiled by:
Eric Kanagy / enovent
The following sponsors made this report possible:
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| Economic Development
Corporation of Elkhart County |
The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce |
The Elkhart Area Technology Council |
Goshen Chamber of Commerce |
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| Elkhart County |
Additional resources provided by:
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| Elkhart County Historical Museum | Laura Coyne Elkhart County |
Baker & Daniels | M-CAM, Inc. |
© 2006 Enovent