KINGSPORT -- Eastman Chemical Company, Domtar Paper Company and state and local officials broke ground last week for what will become the Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing (RCAM) in downtown Kingsport.

The RCAM will anchor a broad-based approach for education and training in highly technical manufacturing skills to meet regional workforce needs.

The 26,000-square-foot building will be a part of the Kingsport Academic Village, which includes the Regional Center for Health Professions (RCHP) and the Kingsport Higher Education Center.

Domtar has donated land for the project, and Eastman and the State of Tennessee have dedicated $2.7 million of Project Reinvest funds to pay for the construction of the facility.

"Providing access to education and training opportunities is vital to a skilled workforce and regional economic development potential," said Parker Smith, Eastman's vice president and general manager of worldwide manufacturing support.

Construction of the RCAM is expected to be completed in fall 2009 and provide classroom and training space.

Northeast State Technical Community College will help equip and staff the facility through a grant received from the U. S. Department of Labor.

The college will offer associate of applied science degree programs of electrical/electromechanical technology, machine tool technology, welding/metal fabrication technology, or the chemical process operations technical certificate program.