Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch visited the SMC Corp. of America headquarters in Noblesville Sept. 20 to learn about the company’s employment of individuals with disabilities. A Republican candidate for governor, Crouch is traveling the state raising awareness for workplaces that employ people with disabilities.
Crouch received a tour of SMC’s headquarters and an overview of its hiring practices. SMC Corp. of America is the U.S. subsidiary of SMC Corp. based in Japan and focuses on pneumatic technology and products that support automation, including connectors, air dryers and main line filters, vacuum products, process gas equipment and actuators.
SMC has partnerships with four organizations that work with people who have disabilities: Janus in Noblesville; Noble in Indianapolis; Sycamore Services Inc. in Danville; and Easternseals Crossroads in Indianapolis. The partnerships provide employment opportunities at SMC.
Kelley Stacy, president and CEO of SMC Corp. of America, said the company has nine employees with disabilities through the partnerships, some of which were established 10 years ago.
Stacy said the individuals working in various places throughout the company, including the office, factory and warehouse.
“We want to give people an opportunity,” Stacy said. “I think in this society today, a lot of people don’t get the opportunity. And if you don’t give people that chance and opportunity, nobody will.”
Crouch, who is chair of the state’s Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Taskforce, and said she was impressed by SMC.
“What particularly impressed me was their commitment and long-term commitment for the past 10 years to hiring Hoosiers with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” Crouch said. “(And) recognizing that they can be a valuable part of our workforce and understanding that they not only are a valuable part of SMC’s workforce, but they lift up the workforce in the process.”
