Agriculture among focuses of Northeast’s iHub

NORFOLK – Work is underway on the Northeast iHub, a fabrication lab with col laboration spaces, training opportunities, and office space in downtown Norfolk.

With a focus on robotics and automation, the iHub’s priority is upscaling meatpacking industry workers in the region. iHub Director Erin Sorensen describes the initiative as a “marriage” between agriculture and manufacturing.

“Nebraska’s top two GDP-production industries, agriculture and manufacturing, truly go hand in hand,” Sorensen said. “Success in agriculture relies heavily on manufacturing. Our work with several meatpacking plants and the region’s growth in ethanol and crush facilities exemplifies this energy.”

The iHub will provide training in areas like motor controls, Digital Controllers/Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Circuits and Control Systems, and Mechanical Systems to support both the workers and regional agricul ture.

“The hands-on training we offer in automa -tion extends from high-tech farm equipment to further processing of agricultural goods,” Sorensen said.

The iHub will house woods, metals and prototype labs for community use as well as electromechanical and industrial automation spaces to support workforce development.

Within the iHub, there will be a space fo cused on youth robotics programs. Serving a 20-county area, the lab will provide resources, including practice space for robotics teams, coaching support, and access to technology for students and educators alike.

The iHub will also host a variety of youth STEM and robotics camps designed to inspire and cultivate the next generation of innovators, technicians, engineers and more.

The $8.5 million facility is expected to be completed by Spring 2026 and is funded by governmental support and private donations.