RI Manufacturing Center Services Helped Manufacturers Achieve $121.5M in Sales, 1628 Jobs Added/Retained
Providence, RI – January 31, 2022 – Non-profit consulting group Polaris MEP has released its annual report for FY 2021, reporting positive economic impacts including 1,628 jobs added or retained in the manufacturing sector.
“Behind the numbers are stories of resilience, partnership and ongoing investment in the state’s economy,” said Kathie Mahoney, Polaris MEP Center Director.
“The expertise and dedication of Polaris MEP staff and partners helped manufacturing employers add or retain more than 1600 good jobs for Rhode Islanders at a critical time.”
The annual report captures the measurable impact of services and programs delivered by Polaris MEP, the official Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center for Rhode Island. In FY 2021, Polaris MEP interacted with hundreds of manufacturers who later reported outcomes to an independent third-party.
The manufacturing center’s mission is to strengthen and empower RI’s small and medium-sized manufacturers. Polaris MEP team members improve client competitiveness through a variety of services including Lean manufacturing, quality management systems and certification, intelligent facility layout, and business growth.
Mahoney noted that the report covers FY 2021, July 2020 through June 2021, some of the toughest days of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and global supply chain challenges. “We’re proud of the positive impact that Polaris MEP offerings had during this time of recovery and rebounding,” Mahoney said, “and proud of the manufacturers we partner with. They continue to demonstrate agility and grit.”
Polaris MEP leveraged funding from state and federal resources to deliver solutions that resulted in:
- $121.5M total increased or retained sales
- $10.4M new client investments
- $4.4M cost savings
- 1,628 jobs added or retained in the state of Rhode Island
Polaris MEP is an affiliate of the national NIST Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership and a non-profit business unit of the University of Rhode Island Research Foundation.
To download the FY 2021 Polaris MEP annual report, visit www.PolarisMEP.org/2021Impact.
About Polaris MEP
Polaris MEP provides competitive business improvement programs to grow Rhode Island’s manufacturing industry. Polaris MEP is a statewide nonprofit organization. An affiliate of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the consultancy is a business unit of the URI Research Foundation.
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