March 2023

Washington State Based Manufacturers Show Value of MEP Program to Congressional Representatives

Several Washington manufacturing leaders traveled with Impact Washington – NIST MEP to Washington, DC, March 8th – March 9th to advocate for Impact Washington and the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program funding during the annual Hill Day Initiative. The traveling team included Jenny Snow-Boscolo, Sr. Director, Global Customer Experience from Genie a Terex Brand; Steve Wittenberg, VP of Operations and Mitch Niemela, VP of Sales and Marketing, both from Toolcraft, Inc.; Deloit R. Wolfe, Jr, President and Center Director; Jessica Ingle, Deputy Director and Carol Blayden, Director of Marketing – all from Impact Washington.

The MEP network is a catalyst for strengthening American manufacturing – accelerating its ongoing transformation into a more efficient and powerful engine of innovation, driving economic growth and job creation. Impact Washington is one of over 50 MEP Centers across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Hill Day consists of meetings with each of the Washington congressional delegates in the House and Senate office buildings to discuss manufacturing and the vital role that Impact Washington and the MEP National Network play in assisting small to mid-sized U.S. manufacturers.

Attending manufacturers shared their experiences and benefits from working with Impact Washington and their businesses' current challenges.

Steven Wittenberg comments, "Having the opportunity to meet personally with the Legislators and Staffers on Capitol Hill with the Impact Washington team, along with other manufacturing leaders, was an educational event." "Getting an opportunity to share first-hand the benefits of manufacturing repatriation, creating domestic supply chains, and discussing investments into supply-chain optimization will surely pay off for both business and government leaders," says Mitch Niemela.

Jenny Snow-Boscolo added, "The manufacturing sector's workload is very healthy—one of the biggest things preventing the manufacturing sector from continuing to grow is the lack of an available workforce. We must come at this crisis from every angle and discuss greater investments. Discussing all areas with Legislators and Staffers, including childcare, transportation, affordable housing, and more, to connect these needs is a win-win for both companies and workers."

The team discussed how the MEP program is a powerful economic driver in support of U.S. manufacturing; in the last 5-years, Impact Washington has been the catalyst of:

• The creation and retention of more than 8,549 jobs
• $1.1 billion in increased/retained sales.
• $315 million in capital investments
• $197 million in process improvement savings

View Impact Washington's All State Impact Report Here

In 2022 the MEP

• The creation and retention of more than 116,767 jobs
• $18.8 billion in increased/retained sales.
• $6.4 billion in capital investments
• $2.5 billion in process improvement savings

View ASMC MEP National Network Report Here 

The visiting team received unparalleled support from congressional delegates on the MEP program. Throughout the year, Impact Washington works closely with congressional delegates, The Washington Manufacturing Council, and the manufacturing community, focusing on improving the manufacturing industry's competitiveness through innovative solutions to products and processes.

March Is Women’s History Month, A Time To Honor And Appreciate The Invaluable Achievements And Contributions Made By Women.

The National Women’s History Alliance, which spearheaded the movement for March being declared National Women’s History Month, has announced the women’s history theme for 2023, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.”

Throughout 2023, Impact Washington will recognize women, past and present, who have, in all forms, impacted manufacturing in Washington state. The timely theme allows us to honor women in every community who have devoted their lives, talents, and truths to supporting the growth of this vital industry. 

These women will be highlighted in our Blog and across all Impact Washington social media platforms. Impact Washington is honored to have the opportunity to recognize these women for their dedication and commitment to the manufacturing community across our state.

Deloit R. Wolfe, Jr, Present and Center Director of Impact Washington, believes Women’s History Month is a dedicated opportunity to “pause and recognize the various accomplishments women have made throughout history. Closer to home, it’s a chance to amplify the contributions of so many women who have helped us get where we are today, and I’d like to celebrate their inspiring journeys.”

Local manufacturers are invited to join Impact Washington on April 18th, 19th or 20th. Your presence could be the spark that encourages a student to pursue a career in manufacturing. The event is 8:00 am to 1:00 pm each day. 

Your role at the EvCC National Manufacturing Day celebration will be to host a display or demonstration table to show the students the types of local career paths they can pursue after they train at AMTEC (welding, machining, composites, engineer tech design, and mechatronics).

Tuesday, April 18, 2023
- Everett High School
- Everett School District Middle School
- Henry Jackson High School
- Kamiak High School

Wednesday, April 19, 2023
- Everett School District Middle School
- Cle Elum High School
- Cascade High School

Thursday, April 20, 2023
- Monroe High School
- Sequoia High School
- Sky Valley Education Center
- Snohomish High School

If you're interested in hosting a vendor table one or all days, please complete this form.

Impact Washington has been actively providing the assistance that small manufacturing businesses desperately need to develop and grow. We have received an overwhelming number of responses to this grant. The grant application remains open, and we are actively seeking ways in which to fund projects beyond this grant opportunity. ALL qualified manufacturing companies are eligible for our Business Assessment (valued at $2,500).

This grant supports historically underserved communities. Qualifications include;

Have less than 50 employees or less than $7 million in gross revenue and have one of these characteristics:

• Women-owned
• BIPOC-owned
• Indigenous-owned
• LGBTQIA+ -owned
• Located in rural region of the state 

This grant is offered in thanks to the Washington State Department of Commerce’s new Small Business Innovation Fund (SBIF)

Interested manufacturers can learn more and apply here

NOW OPEN - Hospitality And Lodging Grants For Businesses Affected By COVID-19

Washington State Department of Commerce just announced a new grant opportunity for businesses in the hospitality and lodging industry that suffered business losses due to the pandemic. Eligible businesses include: breweries bakeries, wineries, and more!

Find out more and apply here

FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food Course 

June 14th and 15th | 8:00 am to 6:00 pm each day | Tukwila, WA

This two-day in-person workshop will cover regulation Title 21 CFR 117–Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Foods.

Learn more and register here

Impact Washington would like to invite partners and clients to attend local webinars presented by members of the Washington Export Outreach Team (WEOT). This collaborative team of local, state, regional, and federal export assistance agencies provides businesses with the tools and resources to sell internationally. 

Wednesday Webinars with SBA Seattle is an ongoing series of free, virtual, webinars covering a variety of topics to benefit small business owners.

• April 26 – Meet the Washington State Department of Agriculture
• May 24 – Meet the U.S. Commercial Service
• June 28 - Meet the Western U.S. Agricultural Trade Association
• July 26 - Meet the Export Bank of United States
• August 23 – Meet the USDA – Foreign Agriculture Service
• September 27 – Meet the SBA Office of International Trade

We are thrilled to once again sponsor PNAA's Women in Aerospace annual Conference. This year's theme is nothing short of awe-inspiring - "Power of the Past - Force of the Future."

May 18th - 8:30 am  to 4:00  pm| Edward D Hansen Conference Center at Angel of the Winds Arena

Learn more and register here

Join Impact Washington team members in-person and learn about the latest industry trends, challenges, and forecasts. Network with peers, prospective customers, and vendors from the region's aerospace supply chain.

May 30th - 31st | Coeur d’Alene Resort

Learn more and register here