Bipartisan bill will reauthorize Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, which helps small- and medium-sized manufacturers maintain competitiveness

WASHINGTON – Citing its success in creating and retaining jobs in the manufacturing sector, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl today introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program (MEP).  The public-private program is a nationwide network of centers that helps small- and medium-sized manufacturers by providing technical support, supply chain integration, training and access to technology that improves efficiency, productivity and profitability.  Kohl’s bill, cosponsored by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), reauthorizes the MEP program for five years, through fiscal year 2015, and authorizes $825 million for the base program over those five years.

 “For the last few years, there have been too many jobs lost, and the manufacturing sector has been particularly hard-hit,” Kohl said.  “Despite these struggles, our nation remains the world’s largest manufacturing economy, and manufacturing still employs a sizable percentage of our workforce. We must continue to do better, and work harder for our manufacturers.  To put it simply, a strong manufacturing sector means a strong economy.  Retaining and creating manufacturing jobs grows our prosperity.”

 Wisconsin is home to two MEP Centers, and in the last year, Wisconsin companies that worked with the two centers were able to save or create more than 1,200 jobs, generate $118.6 million in sales, make $54 million in new investments, and generate $19.3 million in cost savings.  In Fiscal Year 2009 alone -- based on services provided in 2008 -- MEP projects with small and medium-sized manufacturers created or retained 52,948 jobs nationwide, generated more than $9.1 billion in sales, and provided cost savings of more than $1.4 billion.

          “MEP’s results are undeniable,” Kohl said.  “Our small- and medium-sized manufacturers face different challenges than larger companies, especially in this tough economy.  The improvements that come to a business from working with an MEP Center can mean the difference between profitability and growth or shutting their doors.”

            Kohl has been a long-time champion of the MEP program.  He has successfully fought debilitating cuts to MEP funding and has worked to ensure that MEP has adequate funds to continue job saving and creating operations