Webb, Warner announce $200M for economic development

Sens. Jim Webb and Mark Warner today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology will invest $212,800 in GENEDGE ALLIANCE, a statewide manufacturing support program based at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville, Virginia.  Both Senators have consistently supported federal funding in Congress for the program, which supports industrial and manufacturing jobs by helping private businesses across the Commonwealth compete and succeed.

“I have been a big supporter of this concept, where high-quality advisors help small and mid-sized companies compete nationally,” said Sen. Webb.  “The GENEDGE ALLIANCE manufacturing program is a strong example of a public-private partnership that will strengthen Virginia communities and invigorate local economies.”

“The GENEDGE ALLIANCE is a good example of a smart federal grant program that consistently produces a measurable return on investment,” Sen. Warner said. “GENEDGE consultants have helped employers across the Commonwealth upgrade processes and increase their growth opportunities. This grant represents a targeted investment that will strengthen Virginia’s economy and workforce.”

Since 1992, Virginia’s GENEDGE ALLIANCE has provided comprehensive services that produce quantifiable results for the companies they serve. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) works in conjunction with companies to provide high quality analysis that helps companies increase productivity, lower costs, identify growth opportunities, improve technology application, and strengthen production.  For every $1 invested in GENEDGE ALLIANCE assistance and service, $36 has been returned to the client’s bottom line, and descriptions of many GENEDGE ALLIANCE success stories from across Virginia can be found here.

GENEDGE ALLIANCE is a network affiliate of NIST-MEP, a national network of more than 59 affiliate centers, bringing enterprise expertise to over 149,000 businesses across the United States.  GENEDGE ALLIANCE field offices are located throughout Virginia and their partnerships with the Old Dominion University Business Gateway (ODUBG) at Old Dominion University and the Manufacturing Technology Center (MTC) in Wytheville support companies across the Commonwealth.