A new Utah organization has been formed to provide manufacturers with resources to help them improve their bottom line. It’s called the Utah Industry Resource Alliance (UIRA) and its goal is to connect manufacturers with services offered by various partners across the state. These services include free and fee-based industry-specific training, mentoring, coaching, consulting and business advisory services.
UAMMI, along with other partners, have agreed to be part of the Alliance and provide services. Other providers include the University of Utah Manufacturing Extension Partnership (UUMEP), Utah State University’s (USU) Manufacturing Extension Service and their Manufacturing & Outdoor Products SUPPORT HUB, iMpact Utah, Utah Manufacturers Association (UMA) and the World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah). These organizations will provide unparalleled access to manufacturing specialists, application engineers, and research professionals from the top organizations and universities in the state.
“Currently, each Alliance partner interacts with a unique cluster of Utah manufacturers that fit within their area of expertise,” said Dr. Tulinda Larsen, Executive Director of UAMMI. “However, the Alliance will coordinate efforts to expand partner trainings and other services to all of the various cluster members. Everyone will work together to bring more resources to Utah manufacturers, such as the new DOD self-certification requirements and hands-on training offered through the NIST Cybersecurity Training programs offered by UMEP and ImpactUtah.”
UIRA is already underway in its mission of assisting Utah manufacturers with its development of a $4.9 million plan and funding request from the State of Utah COVID-19 funds. The plan consists of three elements:
- Coordination of Utah manufacturing improvement resources
- Outreach to every Utah manufacturer affect by COVID-19, including expanding UAMMI’s CONNEX supply chain tool to include all manufacturers in Utah
- Continue participation and active outreach on many COVID-19 task forces
Regarding CONNEX, UAMMI’s manufacturing supply connection and exchange tool, UIRA will add to UAMMI’s hard work and investment and help expand the powerful tool to all manufacturers in Utah. CONNEX will now enter a phase of becoming a comprehensive and effective tool to assist all Utah manufacturers rather than just the “advanced materials” manufacturing sector that it currently serves.
With UAMMI’s focus being solely on Utah’s advanced materials and manufacturing sector, its participation in UIRA will ensure that this sector will be adequately integrated into the Utah manufacturing industry as a whole.