Maintaining momentum can be a short-term method for survival, but if this impetus comes to a standstill it can be difficult to resuscitate. Each month, reports supplied by the Manufacturers Index keep many wondering if the modest gains achieved to date are enough to earn a spot above the magic 50 mark each month and keep the industry viable over the long-term. Depending on the source of reporting, the month’s number either receives positive praise or intonations that the industry is still not out of its slump. Rather than wait for signs of a potential slow in the action, a group of additive manufacturers is looking for ways to generate new industry applications for additive manufacturing in Northeast Ohio.

Making the Adjustment

In this case, the crucial pivot comes from local proponents of the additive manufacturing industry. These individuals are pooling their collective vision for the integration of the additive manufacturing supply in Northeast Ohio to a larger audience that encompasses the entire manufacturing industry. The recently released presentation comes in the form of an Asset Map of Manufacturing Opportunities for the state. The team behind the vision included MAGNET, Team NEO, America Makes and the Youngstown Business Incubator.

Advisory Council Provisions

Plan structure

Marketing and Technical guidance

Connections to market participants

Engagement throughout development

Review of outcomes and recommendations

Adding a Customer Voice

One thing that sets the Asset Map apart from previous endeavors to boost the industry is the inclusion of voice-of-the-customer interviews to determine opinions of key end users and identify the current and future opportunities. Another positive point is that rather than starting from scratch, the Asset Map collaborators look to capitalize on the industry’s robust manufacturing base in an effort to help the state’s 273,000-strong manufacturing workforce remain competitive. This includes looking for ways to insert additive manufacturing in gaps in the value chain for in-region companies and original equipment manufacturers, bringing collective benefits for material suppliers, fabricated metal products manufacturers and plastic product manufacturers.

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