Small manufacturers think big about partnerships during COVID-19

How SMEs are teaming up with public research universities and MEP centers to boost innovation capacity

By Shalin R. Jyotishi, assistant director for economic development and community engagement, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; and Sheila Martin, vice president for economic development and community engagement at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities

The U.S. manufacturing industry has lost a staggering 5 million jobs and thousands of manufacturing establishments over the past two decades, according to a report from MForesight. Stalled manufacturing productivity growth and overseas competition are two major drivers of the decline.

COVID-19 is likely to make matters worse, but the industry may also experience five years of innovation within the next 18 months as existing and new digital technologies gain traction.

American small- and medium-sized manufacturers, or SMMs, have been especially hit by the productivity lull, and their survival will depend in part on their ability to adopt emerging technologies required to spark a revival in productivity growth. Doing so isn’t just key to their survival; it’s essential to securing U.S. competitiveness as other nations and larger manufacturers adopt these technologies and require their supply chain partners to do the same.

That’s where public research universities, SMMs and federal Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers can partner to help American manufacturers adopt these new technologies.

The complete article is available at the Industry Week website. Indiana University is a member of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.