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by Chris Chiappinelli, MA Editorial Staff Posted on Friday, March 21, 2008 11:58:00 AM   If President George W. Bush's proposed fiscal 2009 budget passes the legislature, the government-funded Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will soon cease to exist. Established 20 years ago to assist the nation's manufacturers in embracing new technologies and progressive operational disciplines such as lean manufacturing, the MEP has helped scores of companies adjust to a changing world of global competition. The program serves mostly small and mid-sized manufacturers and maintains localized operations throughout the country. The national program relies on federal funding to support it and its state-based partner organizations, which typically receive matching funds from state coffers. Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, in a recent opinion piece, decried the president's plan to end the MEP program, saying it and other programs like it "help small and mid-sized manufacturers compete by promoting their investment in high-risk, high-reward research that can pay big dividends and create jobs." [Click to continue] |