AMCC Hosts Webinar: Manufacturing Communities supporting Covid-19 efforts

The American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative is working to be on the frontline of solutions to the COVID-19 health crisis. As states continue to struggle to secure protective equipment for health workers in their states, for example, manufacturers in our communities alongside the agencies and organizations that work with them, are aiming to meet these needs. 

AMCC hosted a webinar where some of our community leaders spoke about actions they are taking to advance and scale manufacturing solutions. Some are doing outreach and providing information about how companies can secure funds from rapidly changing federal and state policies and programs. Others are connecting manufacturers to one another, effectively creating new supply chains for companies that are new to PPE production, and communicating back to state governments about that production capacity. 

See more on what our communities are doing, below:

In Northwest Georgia, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Project is helping manufacturers who want to assist Covid-19 support efforts through making the most vitally necessary products by connecting them to additional resources needed. They are offering webinars on important topics, such as the CARES Act and SBA Loans, as well as other supports to help their communities navigate this time.

In Utah, the Advanced Materials Manufacturing Initiative is educating small businesses in the advanced materials manufacturing community on federal and state programs through an outreach program to 137 companies, and providing the Utah Department of Health information on companies which can provide PPE. One example of what’s come of this network is that a company, DPS Skis, is now making 20,000 face shields under a state contract, using their cutting tools that they usually use for cutting their carbon fiber and plastic top sheets for ski manufacturing — a contract that our community helped to secure. 
In Pennsylvania, the Greater Pittsburgh Metals Manufacturing community has created a local matchmaking website, are using 3D Printers to make critical supplies, are working to connect manufacturing companies with research to develop and test new designs for critical supplies, providing support for supply chain with Peer Network Slack Channels, making connections to the government and banks, and facilitating virtual training and other services as needed.