MEP Program Expands to All 50 States and Puerto Rico

The Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology yesterday announced 18 awards for new or expanded manufacturing extension programs. The addition of these programs expands MEP services to all 50 states and Puerto Rico, with MEP services available at 300 sites nationwide. A total of $19.6 million will be provided by the federal government to support the first year funding for these centers, with an additional $21 million being provided by states and other organizations.

Of the new centers announced, three - the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Hawaii Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and the Nevada Manufacturing Extension Partnership - will be managed by the Industry Network Corporation, a private non-profit corporation which presently manages programs in Arizona and New Mexico.Several of the centers will initially focus on specific industries, forest products in Alaska, apparel and food processing industries in Hawaii, and secondary wood products in Kentucky. The National Center for Printing, Publishing, and Imaging (CIMSPrint), located at the Rochester Institute of Technology will help printing companies nationwide to integrate new technology into their manufacturing operations. CIMSPrint will partner with and act as a resource for the entire MEP network.

The Administration has requested $105 million in FY 1997 which would allow NIST to continue to support the MEP network. The Senate thus far has included $99 million to fund the program while the House budget contains $90 million.

New Centers

AK Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Alaska Science and Technology Foundation, Alaska Human Resource Investment Council,University of Alaska, SBDC Industry Network Corporation

CA San Diego Manufacturing Extension Center

Center for Applied Competitive Technologies- San Diego CC, University of California, SanDiego's UCSD CONNECT

HI Hawaii Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, Hawaii Board of Agriculture, Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii SBDC, Industry Network Corporation

IL Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center

Illinois Dept. of Commerce and Community Affairs, Illinois Board of Higher Education, Bradley, University, Rock Valley College, Southern Illinois University

LA Louisiana Manufacturers Technical Extension Center

Louisiana Productivity Center, University of Southwestern Louisiana

MS Mississippi Technology Extension Partnership

Mississippi Enterprise for Technology

NV Nevada Manufacturing Extension Partnership

University and Community College System of Nevada, Nevada Manufacturers Association Nevada Industry, Science, Engineering and Technology, Inc., Nevada Education for Economic Development, Nevada Commission on Economic Development

NY National Center for Printing, Publishing, and Imaging

Rochester Institute of Technology

OR Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Oregon Advanced Technology Consortium, a consortium of 13 community colleges

SD South Dakota Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Center Governor's Office of Economic Development South Dakota State University South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

WA Washington Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Washington Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a newly created non-profit organization, Washington Dept. of Community, Trade and Economic Development, Washington Aerospace Alliance, Washington Technology Center.

Centers Expanding Services

CA California Manufacturing Technology Center

Funding will be used to establish three additional manufacturing outreach centers.

KY Kentucky Technology Service

KTS will expand its resources and staff to focus on the secondary wood products industry.

NY New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership

The award will allow NYMEP to expand services in two existing manufacturing outreach centers and create one additional center.

NC North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership

NCMEP will expand its services by increasing the number of field engineers and manufacturing specialist from 18 to 44 and opening two new field offices.

OH Miami Valley Manufacturing Extension Center

MVMEC will add four new filed engineers to its existing staff.

OK Oklahoma Alliance for Manufacturing Excellence

The Oklahoma Alliance will expand its field staff to provide services to companies in rural areas.

PA Southwestern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center

SPIRC working in conjunction with the Northwest Industrial Resource Center will expand its services to cover all of Western Pennsylvania.