IMEC Announces New Advanced Manufacturing Technology Services to Solve Productivity and Innovation Challenges for Small and Mid-Size Manufacturers in Illinois

IMEC seeks 80 small and mid-sized manufacturers to be part of an exclusive group to advance their Industry 4.0 adoption success. If selected, these companies will receive fully funded technical support.

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IMEC

Aug 05, 2020, 14:03 ET

PEORIA, Ill., Aug. 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Preparing Illinois small and mid-sized manufacturers to rebound and recover more quickly from the pandemic, IMEC is seeking 80 companies to identify, adapt, and implement Industry 4.0 technologies - building core strengths that will enable them to rebound even stronger from the pandemic. The selected companies will receive:

Expert guidance through Industry 4.0 challenges
Business case for robotics and flexible automation technologies
Technology deployment roadmap and action plan
Vendor selection services to identify the right resources for their needs
Implementation and process services to equip the organization with adaptation
Overall project management to streamline projects- leading to quicker results

IMEC has been awarded funding to deploy Advanced Manufacturing Technology Services (AMTS) to small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMMs) in Illinois. The new funding will allow the organization to deliver Industry 4.0 service solutions to SMMs, which will result in improved product quality and innovation, improved process efficiencies, and increased supply chain connectivity.

Small and mid-size manufacturers have been in a tough position without the tools to innovate and improve productivity. As a result of current events, manufacturers are trying to mitigate disruptions in their operations like: Workforce Gaps, Productivity Loss, Declining Sales, Supply Chain Shortages, and Efficiency in Daily Processes. Industry 4.0 technologies, such as AMTS, play a vital role to combat these challenges – from 3D Printing machines saving lives, to robots being able to maintain operations while humans physically could not. Now is the perfect opportunity to help position small and mid-size manufacturers for business growth opportunities that can lead to global competitiveness.

"Small and mid-sized manufacturers are the heart of Illinois' manufacturing industry and serve as a lifeline for our economy, yet they have not been equipped with the technology to help them excel through COVID-19 and beyond. By utilizing the advancements of automation and Industry 4.0 in unison with their current operations, their increased productivity will be able to help them compete on a global stage." – David Boulay, Ph.D. President - IMEC

The 80 chosen companies will use these grants to energize manufacturing productivity growth and innovation – serving as showcase companies leading the way for Illinois Manufacturing to rebound and recover to global competitiveness.

This program is funded through U.S. Department of Commerce Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) through peer centers Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center and Purdue MEP. A collaborative series of virtual educational webinars is available to introduce these advanced technologies and show how they can ease the competitive pressures of today.

Interested in being selected as one of the 80 model companies for AMTS? Learn More and Apply!

About IMEC
IMEC is a team of improvement specialists who are dedicated to changing lives and creating a positive impact on Illinois' workforce and economy. With a mission to drive growth through enterprise excellence, they help organizations become more effective and efficient by identifying issues, developing and implementing solutions, and providing the necessary support that will allow them to excel in areas of leadership, strategy, customer engagement, operations, workforce, and measurement and results. In 2019, they assisted 770 companies and created over 4,600 jobs, resulting in over $435M aggregate impact to the Illinois economy. IMEC has seven offices statewide and 47 full-time industry improvement specialists. For more information, visit www.imec.org.

IMEC is one of the 51 MEP Centers in the US and Puerto Rico. MEP Centers are part of the MEP National Network, which includes the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP) and over 1,000 manufacturing experts at over 400 service locations, with the tools and resources to help US manufacturers succeed and advance US Manufacturing. Being that each Center is a public-private partnership, they can connect manufacturers with government agencies, universities and research facilities, trade associations, and many more resources that foster growth and innovation. In 2019, the MEP National Network helped over 28,000 manufacturers and created over 114,000 jobs. Learn more about the MEP.

SOURCE IMEC