Pittsburgh Manufacturing Community is Selected for Support through National IMCP Competition July 2015

On July 8, 2015, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker announced the designation of 12 additional "Manufacturing Communities" across the United States through the administration's Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP), an initiative created to help accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in the United States. The 12 newly designated communities include western Pennsylvania's Greater Pittsburgh Metals Manufacturing Community.

Led by the White House National Economic Council and the U.S. Department of Commerce, the IMCP encourages American communities to develop comprehensive economic development strategies that strengthen their competitive edge in attracting global manufacturers and their supply chains. The partnership brings together the resources of multiple agencies and departments involved in economic development to help communities focus not only on attracting individual investments but also on creating globally competitive environments that grow, retain, and expand manufacturing investment and spur international trade..

The Manufacturing Communities will receive coordinated support for their strategies from 11 federal agencies, including ARC, with more than $1 billion available in federal economic development assistance.

The Greater Pittsburgh Metals Manufacturing Community proposes (PDF: 281 KB) to build on the region's historic strengths in metals manufacturing by using innovative technologies like 3D printing, robotics, and advanced materials. In doing so, the region will bring together old and new partners, such as TechShop, Carnegie Mellon University, and the United Steelworkers, who are working to launch an apprenticeship program for workers in manufacturing start-ups. The Manufacturing Community is also creating a supportive ecosystem for start-ups by creating spaces such as hardware design centers to foster promising product-oriented innovators and encourage "making" as a viable career option.

The first 12 Manufacturing Communities—including the Northwest Georgia Region and the Tennessee Valley in the Appalachian Region—were announced in May 2014. This next phase of the competition doubled the number of IMCP-designated communities across the country. In order to earn the designation, communities had to demonstrate the significance of manufacturing already present in their region and develop strategies to make investments in six areas: 1) workforce and training, 2) advanced research, 3) infrastructure and site development, 4) supply chain support, 5) export promotion, 6) and capital access.

The 12 new Manufacturing Communities were selected by an interagency panel based on the strength of their economic development plans, the potential for impact in their communities, and the depths of their partnerships across the public and private sectors to carry out their plans. The communities are:

1. The Greater Pittsburgh Metals Manufacturing Community in Pittsburgh, PA; led by Catalyst Connection.
2. The Alamo Manufacturing Partnership in the San Antonio, TX, metropolitan area; led by the University of Texas at San Antonio.
3. The Louisiana Chemical Corridor stretching from New Orleans to Baton Rouge, LA; led by Louisiana State University.
4. The Madison Regional Economic Partnership (MadREP) in the Madison, WI, region; led by the eponymous nonprofit.
5. The Made in the Mid-South Manufacturing Alliance, spanning five counties surrounding Memphis, TN; led by the Greater Memphis Chamber.
6. The Greater Peoria Economic Development Council, leading a five-county region in central Illinois.
7. The Minnesota Medical Manufacturing Partnership in Minneapolis, MN; led by GREATER MSP.
8. The South Central Idaho region; led by the Region IV Development Association in Twin Falls, ID.
9. The Utah Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Initiative in the Wasatch Front region of Utah; led by the University of Utah.
10. The Pacific Northwest Partnership Region in Oregon and southwest Washington; led by Business Oregon.
11. The Connecticut Advanced Manufacturing Communities Region, an eight-county area centered on Hartford, CT; led by the State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development.
12. The Central Valley AgPlus Food and Beverage Manufacturing Consortium in Fresno; led by California State University.

More information on the IMCP is available on the EDA Web site at www.eda.gov/challenges/imcp.