Manufacturing Institutes strengthen industry partnerships, R&D, workforce in 2018

Manufacturing USA recently released its 2018 annual report highlighting the progress its 14 associated institutes have made in growing the Manufacturing USA network, increasing manufacturing technology development and technology transfer, and promoting workforce development.

Ensuring the participation of industry in the program is essential to strengthening supply chains and promoting innovation in manufacturing. According to the report, the network grew its membership by 50 percent to 1,937 organizations, of which 63 percent are industrial groups. Of these industry members, 70 percent are small and medium-sized manufacturing companies. The report also notes that in an effort to accelerate the adoption of innovative manufacturing technologies, institute-led research and development projects increased by 74 percent to 476 projects.

Regarding workforce development, over 200,000 workers, students, and educators participated in Manufacturing USA institute-led workforce efforts. These programs span a broad spectrum of activities and focus on institute leadership to effectively encourage collaboration and sharing best practices.

Manufacturing USA was created in 2014 to help secure U.S. global leadership in advanced manufacturing. Leveraging $183 million in federal funding and attracting more than $304 million in state and private investment, the program promotes public-private-partnerships to assist manufacturers in accelerating the sector’s economic expansion. Through assistance in developing innovative products, production technologies, and workforce development programs focused on building advanced skills, the network aims to provide U.S. enterprises and workers with the tools and skills to maintain leadership in the manufacturing sector. Click here for more information on Manufacturing USA.