Located not far away from the Anderson University campus, the Dodge Industrial, Inc. plant in Belton, South Carolina, manufactures precision gearboxes used in industrial processes such as the conveyor systems that move large quantities of products through distribution centers for major companies like Amazon and UPS. Their equipment is also essential to food and beverage manufacturing, where Dodge gearboxes power the production lines that feed America.
The Anderson University College of Engineering’s proximity is a dream come true for Dodge Industrial’s leadership. Dodge Industrial has helped the College of Engineering as they equip their new facility downtown; also, engineering faculty and students enjoy the knowledge exchange that happens.
“Dodge was interested in Anderson as soon as we started getting the College of Engineering off the ground,” said Engineering Professor Dr. Chad Rodekohr. “They have been wanting to be a part of it. They are continually seeking engineering talent, and so they have a vested interest in having a school producing quality engineers in their area.”
According to Belton Plant Manager Alex Vitou, who incidentally earned his MBA from Anderson University, Dodge has enjoyed a collaboration that benefits both sides. Dodge Industrial’s leadership has worked closely with Dr. Rodekohr and the College of Engineering Dean Dr. Lisa Zidek, among others.
“We’re very excited about it, so much so that we sponsored a classroom. We’ve donated equipment, tools—we’ve got more coming,” Vitou said. “We’ve tried to stay pretty connected to Lisa and Chad. We have a solid mutually beneficial relationship. I think for us it’s exciting to be a part of a new program that’s coming up from scratch, but also one that’s at Anderson University and one that’s here in Anderson County.”
Dr. Rodekohr spent the summer of 2024 as a faculty intern at the Belton plant. He worked closely with Dr. Ken Candiotti, Manufacturing Engineering and Maintenance Manager at Dodge’s Belton plant.
“I can contribute to their manufacturing process that’s going on over there,” Dr. Rodekohr said. “It’s a win-win on both sides. Also, I get to know how things work over there.”
According to Dr. Candiotti, Dr. Rodekohr worked extensively across multiple manufacturing sections at Dodge Industrial, including CNC machining and assembly. Dr. Rodekohr was pivotal in providing strategic analytical insights to help identify and solve various problems faced by the engineering team. This joint venture between industry and academia allowed Dr. Rodekohr to bridge the gap, taking the practical challenges encountered in the manufacturing environment and incorporating them into the classroom, ensuring students were learning the critical skills needed for today’s modern manufacturing landscape.
“Chad came to work for us over the summer. His experience is very valuable and quite different from our experience in the building,” Vitou said. “He worked on projects where I think his skill set really shined and he made significant headway very quickly.”
AU engineering students are playing an integral role as well, teaming up on projects with Dodge Industrial to help them come up with engineering solutions.
“We’ve got six seniors who will be working on a project at Dodge. That will be their senior design project, and so it’s very much carrying over into the classroom,” Dr. Rodekohr said. “Another way it’s carrying over into the classroom is that I’m teaching a class this semester called Manufacturing Engineering and that’s what I was doing at Dodge.”
The students learn by doing, taking advantage of a learning environment set up at the Belton plant.
“Dodge Industrial has established a cutting-edge manufacturing engineering lab at our facility in Belton, which we are partnering with AU to provide their students and faculty access to,” Dr. Candiotti explained. “This lab includes a dedicated training room with multiple CNC machine simulators, allowing students to practice and hone their skills on equipment that mirrors what they would find in our production environment. Additionally, the lab features a fully-equipped CNC machining area with real manufacturing equipment that AU students and professors can access to gain hands-on experience in an authentic industrial setting. By opening up this collaborative learning space at our facility, we are able to give AU’s engineering program unparalleled access to state-of-the-art technology and a true factory atmosphere to supplement their classroom curriculum.”
Also, Dodge Industrial has hosted participants from the College of Engineering Summer Engineering Institute, a camp for middle and high school students who are considering engineering.
“We are thrilled to support the innovative engineering program that AU is developing,” Dr. Candiotti stated. “Their lab and curriculum offerings are truly unique within a multi-state radius, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing technologies like CNC machining. Being able to collaborate with Dr. Zidek and her team to help develop this state-of-the-art learning environment is an honor. Providing access to our specialized equipment, tooling, and industry expertise is a privilege that aligns perfectly with Dodge Industrial’s commitment to investing in the next generation of engineering talent.”
