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Senators Koehler and Wilhelmi sponsor measure in Fall Veto Session
Unemployment at a 25-year-high; Manufacturers challenged to compete;
State Funds Leverage Federal Matching Money
For Immediate Release
Contact: Tucker Kennedy -- 309-256-5212
October 21, 2009
PEORIA, IL – A bill that would provide $2 million to the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center (IMEC) will be introduced in the Illinois General Assembly’s Fall Veto Session. Co-sponsored by Senators David Koehler (D-Peoria) and A.J. Wilhelmi (D-Joliet), the appropriation provided in Senate Bill 2475 would enable IMEC to leverage federal matching funds to help Illinois manufacturers create jobs and be more productive and globally competitive.
“The manufacturing extension program is one of the most successful and cost-effective federal-state-industry partnerships in government,” said Koehler. “At a time when state resources are stretched, it makes sense to invest in IMEC, organization that leverages federal funds and delivers a proven economic return to the companies and workers of Illinois.”
IMEC, headquartered in Peoria with 11 offices throughout the state including Chicago land, is the only organization in Illinois that is funded through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). IMEC’s services help Illinois’ manufacturers retain and grow jobs, avoid dislocation by improving their quality and productivity, reduce waste (including environmental impact and energy utilization), cut the time it takes to develop/refine products, and diversify into new growth sectors. Further, IMEC’s services strengthen the economic vitality of Illinois’ cities and rural communities and support “green job” growth by helping manufacturers adapt their industrial processes to meet growing demand for alternative energy technologies.
Every year since 1996, the State of Illinois has provided funding to assist manufacturers through IMEC, except last year, when the legislature appropriated funding, but it was vetoed.
A bi-partisan coalition of state lawmakers is backing the proposal. Members of the Illinois Legislative Manufacturing Caucus sent a letter of support to Governor Quinn and the legislative leaders requesting the appropriation. And, in an unprecedented move, 10
bi-partisan members of Congress signed a similar letter to the state’s leadership, requesting state funds to ensure that Illinois can put the full amount of available federal funds to use. President Obama’s FY 2010 budget increases funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), the network of 59 U.S. non-profit centers like IMEC. The $2 million the state invests in IMEC can bring in more than $4.5 million from the fed and from the private sector.
“Unemployment remains at its highest level since 1983, and manufacturers have shed another 93,000 jobs since December of 2007,” said Wilhelmi. “The funding for IMEC will ensure that more manufactures get the critical help they need to re-tool, train their workers, generate sales, create jobs, and continue on the path to economic recovery.”
Last year, the 450 companies assisted by IMEC reported that they were able to create or retain 1,750 high wage jobs. Independent studies verify that every dollar the state invests in IMEC generates additional tax revenue for the state.
“By investing $2 million in IMEC, the state will drive the kind of activity that will stimulate the economy,” said Bob Weinstein, IMEC President. “Now is the time when companies have the capacity to make the changes to survive and grow. While state resources are limited and there are many competing needs, if we don’t adequately provide support services to manufacturers, we risk further weakening the state’s financial health.”
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Contacts: Sen. Dave Koehler: 309-256-0729
Sen. AJ Wilhelmi: 815-207-4445
Tucker Kennedy: 309-256-5212 (m)
Bob Weinstein: 309-256-0713
About IMEC
Globalization has created a fiercely competitive environment for domestic manufacturers. Firms of all sizes, and smaller firms in particular, are challenged by a fast-paced market with high demands for quality, cost and delivery. Since 1996, IMEC (the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center) has helped Illinois' manufacturers meet these challenges and many more. IMEC’s team of manufacturing specialists and affiliated partners assists more than 450 manufacturers each year. Major solutions include operating cost reduction, quality improvement, continuous improvement technology & innovation, and market diversification/growth strategies. IMEC is a non-profit corporation with 11 office locations throughout Illinois.
For 13 years IMEC has established a track record for generating one of the highest impact returns per dollar of state investment of any state-supported program. Generating verifiable benefits to Illinois manufacturers is the singular focus of IMEC’s mission. IMEC provides a comprehensive diagnosis of company needs, helps them develop achievable action plans to address gaps to their competitiveness, and delivers affordable operational improvement services that yield measurable results.
After each project, companies provide written documentation stating the benefits they have achieved and expect to achieve from IMEC’s assistance. Six to twelve months later, the companies are surveyed by the federal government to confirm these impacts. IMEC annually generates more than $100 million in verified impacts on manufacturing cost savings, sales, investments, and employment. These benefits, in turn, result in more than $250,000,000 in state and local economic impacts, including more than a four dollar increase in state and local tax revenues per dollar of state investment in IMEC. Last year alone, the companies IMEC served reported creating retaining nearly 1,800 jobs at a time when many other companies were reducing employment.
IMEC is part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, with over 1,400 manufacturing specialists throughout the U.S. IMEC’s headquarters is located in Peoria at Bradley University.
Associations and organizations supporting IMEC’s funding in the State’s FY 10 budget include:
· Bradley University
· Champaign Chamber of Commerce
· Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council
· Economic Development Council for Central Illinois (Peoria)
· Economic Development Council of the Bloomington-Normal Area
· Eiger Lab (Rockford)
· Employers’ Association
· Fabricators and Manufacturers Association (FMA)
· Growth Dimensions for Belvidere-Boone County
· Illinois Development Council
· Illinois State Chamber of Commerce
· Illinois State University
· Illinois Sustainable Technology Center
· Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois
· Northern Illinois University
· Quad City Development Group
· Rockford Area Economic Development Council
· RSM McGladrey
· Southern Illinois University Carbondale
· Tooling and Machining Association
· St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA)
· Tuscola Economic Development
· Vermillion Advantage (Danville)
For more information, visit www.imec.org or call 1-888-806-4632. |
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