Heather Strohm, Sony DADC New Business Development Manager
By FRANK PHILLIPS
DLC Media News
TERRE HAUTE – In the aftermath of a pandemic that not only devastated people but the worldwide economy, Sony DADC, 1800 Fruitridge Ave., in Terre Haute is finding it has to adjust and reinvent itself to remain a profitable company.
Sony DADC is in a 1.3 million square foot building on Terre Haute’s north side, near Terre Haute North High School.
The building used to be known as Capitol Records.
In 1984. the building was converted from pressing vinyl LPs to making compact discs, said Heather Strohm, New Business Development Manager.
Until a few years ago, Sony DADC (Digital Audio Disc Corp.), also operated out of a building across Fruitridge Avenue.
Now, about 50 percent of the more than 1 million square foot building is used to produce PlayStations and other products.
Thirty percent of the PlayStations distributed around the world and 90 percent of the game stations are manufactured at the Terre Haute plant.
Now 400 full time employees work at the Sony DADC plant. At one time more than 2,000 people worked there, Strohm told a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in January.
Due to the change in the business climate, “Sony is changing the narrative of the company,” Strohm said.
Going forward, the local facility, owned by the global Sony DADC corporation, wants to work with small to medium sized companies. The company is open to discussing any kind to business ideas.
For example, they have been talking to a company that wants to use recycled tires in the manufacturing of cell phones and computers. Another company is looking at manufacturing innovative batteries.
North American Lighting is already involved in producing three projects in the Fruitridge building.
Sony “is very open to discussing how they might work with companies,” Strohm said during a recent recording of Focus on the Community that will air this coming weekend on all six DLC Media radio stations in the Wabash Valley. It can be heard at 6 a.m.or 7 a.m. Saturday or Sunday and will later be available on the radio stations’ websites.
The Fruitridge Avenue operation has much to offer area companies from injection molding to packaging to distribution. The building offers companies a high security facility.
The 400 people currently working at Sony DADC in Terre Haute have an average 25 years experience. New employees are sought, especially those specializing in various fields.
Job openings and other information can be found at sonydadc.com or Heather Strohn said she will be glad to answer questions. Call her at 812-201-7592.