Orginally published on Austin Business Journal 

By Brent Wistrom – Austin Inno, Senior Editor, Austin Business Journal

Aug 8, 2024

The Hayes Innovation Center for Advanced Manufacturing has become a hive of construction and design work as the new facility begins to take shape in East Austin off State Highway 130.

As HICAM Executive Director Marcus Metzger strolled through the industrial space during a hard-hat tour last month, dozens of workers were installing wiring and putting up walls in the sprawling 52,000-square-foot space. Soon, all those wires will connect to a variety of high-tech robotic and manufacturing machines, as well as media studios and classrooms.

While the facility at 6210 Quinn Luke Trail is not even halfway done, the organization is already making use of some of the machines that startups and students will soon be using. That includes 3D printers to make custom light fixtures for the facility, as well as CNC tables and walls painted with a specialized faux concrete to give parts of the space an industrial feel.

"A lot of attention is being paid to the aesthetic of it, using visual storytelling to convey the message of the future of manufacturing," Metzger said. "That was the original design problem. It was like, 'OK, what does it look like in the future manufacturing? What's the blend between industrial and high tech?'"

To help create the desired vibe, HICAM is working with STG Design and Monark Builders, as well as Steve Joyner and Jeff Poss, who have worked on set environments for films including "Spy Kids," "Sin City" and "Alita: Battle Angel," in addition to the Container Bar that used to be on Rainey Street.

It's "thrilling to bring a futuristic vision to life in this new public space," Joyner and Poss stated in an announcement. "The mission of HICAM resonates deeply with us, and our goal is to ensure that everyone who enters feels they are stepping into a unique, forward-looking and thinking environment."

Once complete near the end of this year, the HICAM space will become home to the headquarters of the SH 130 Municipal Management District, which was created by the Texas Legislature in 2015 and is backing the HICAM project. The project was initially announced in February.

HICAM, a nonprofit, is focused on promoting advanced manufacturing. Its new space will house startups that might not otherwise be able to have regular access to robotics tech and other high-end manufacturing systems. It will also have classrooms, coworking space and a media studio where founders and community members can produce videos and podcasts.

The organization's educational programs will include six- to nine-month classes where students can learn to program and operate robots, digital fabrication and computer-controlled machining. The education certificates will put them on paths toward careers in high-tech manufacturing.

Metzger said he and other HICAM leaders have also been increasingly focused on the intersection of advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence, and HICAM plans to become a center of excellence in that category, a designation provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

One of HICAM's top focuses is building a community for founders, academics, industry experts and community leaders.

"Our goal isn't just to get them in the space. Our goal is to help them get to the next level, and to kind of bridge where they are now with where they're trying to get to," he said.