2022 Impact Report

The WVU Industrial Extension is West Virginia's official representative of the NIST/MEP National Network, a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing.

We are one of 51 organizations nationwide working to provide operational solutions to small and medium-sized manufacturers.

In addition to representing West Virginia University, we hold a cooperative agreement with the Federal Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership to represent West Virginia at the federal level.

The WVU Industrial Extension is providing valuable support to West Virginia manufacturers by offering customized on-site training and consulting services. By providing insight and education, we are helping manufacturers stay competitive and profitable in global markets.

Our focus on helping businesses to expand and grow is also crucial, as this can create new job opportunities and contribute to the overall growth of the state's economy. Retaining West Virginia talent is also important, as it helps to ensure that the state has a skilled workforce that can support the growth of manufacturing businesses.

By providing tailored support and education, we are helping to ensure that manufacturers in the state are well-equipped to compete and succeed in today's global economy. Let’s go!

On behalf of our team at WVU’s Industrial Extension, I am privileged to present the impact report highlighting the impressive efforts our clients have realized in 2022. Even though we still face significant challenges with workforce gaps and supply chain restraints, our customers made huge strides to reduce operational costs, grow sales, and train their teams.

What many of our customers might not know is that we place an emphasis on continuing education of our staff and in developing new service offerings. Last year alone, we invested nearly 5,000 staff hours in project and product development hours. Staying current on changing regulations, understanding emerging trends, and finding solutions to help bridge the critical workforce gap is a focus in 2023.

Manufacturing is and should be a major economic focus at federal, state, and local levels. Our entire mission is supporting the small and medium sized manufacturers in West Virginia. Our stakeholders strongly support this mission, and we are all here for all of you!

• Continuous Improvement: We'll help you identify opportunities, streamline operations, reduce costs, organize your workplace.
• Management Systems: We'll help you develop systems, manage processes, increase customer satisfaction, control business risks.
• Occupational Health & Safety: We'll help you maintain regulatory compliance, avoid fines, prevent injuries, protect your workforce.
• Workforce Development & Leadership: We'll help you assess cultures, develop leaders, train through job instructions, develop strategic succession and continuity plans.

Our team of experienced consultants provide customized, on-site training and consulting services throughout the state. Our services focus on promoting healthy and safe manufacturing practices, improving operational efficiencies, establishing operational controls to standardize processes, and inspire new generations of leaders to grow the manufacturing economy for West Virginia.

• Staci Miller , Director
• David Carrick , Associate Director
• Jamie Cope , Manager, Business Development
• John A. Frazer , Ph.D., CSP, Manager, Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety-Health
• Greg Green , Safety and Health Specialist
• Randy Kowalczyk , Manager, Continuous Improvement
• Mark Henline , Manager, Management Systems
• Tracy Straub , Strategic Marketing Manager

• Heather Cyphert – Owner, Precision Tool and Machine
• Justin Skeens – Operations Manager, Brake Supply Heavy Equipment
• Charlie Burd – Executive Director, GO-WV
• Luke Diserio – Chief Executive Officer, American Muscle Docks
• Paul Lauttamus – Owner, A.V. Lauttamus Communications, Inc.
• Dave Lieving – President & CEO, Huntington Area Development Council (HADCO)
• Greg Mason – Vice President Manufacturing, Automated Merchandising Systems
• Rebecca McPhail – President, West Virginia Manufacturing Association (WVMA)
• Adolph Santorine – Independent Consultant
• Dave Satterfield (MEP Advisor) – CHAIR – Director of Asset Development, West Virginia University
• Thorsten Wuest, Ph.D. – Associate Professor, West Virginia University

Focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and thrive in today’s technology-driven economy, the MEP National Network comprises the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), the 51 MEP Centers located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, the MEP Advisory Board, MEP Center boards, and the Foundation for Manufacturing Excellence, as well as over 1,450 trusted advisors and experts at approximately 430 MEP service locations, providing any U.S. manufacturer with access to resources they need to succeed.

For every one dollar of federal investment in FY 2022, the MEP National Network generated $35.80 in new sales growth and $40.50 in new client investment. This translates into more than $5.6 billion in new sales. During this same time, for every $1,353 of federal investment, the Network created or retained one manufacturing job.* Each MEP Center is a partnership between the federal government and a variety of public or private entities, including state, university and nonprofit organizations.

* Federal investment is based on $158 million in federal funding for FY 2022.

According to clients surveyed in FY 2022, the MEP National Network helped these manufacturers achieve:

• Over 116,700 jobs created or retained
• $2.5 billion cost savings
• $18.8 billion new and retained sales
• $6.4 billion new client investments

Manufacturers' top challenges as reported by clients:

• 66% Employee recruitment
• 60% Cost reduction
• 41% Growth
• 34% Product Development

• Retained Sales: $38.5 M
• New Sales: $11.3 M
• Cost Savings: $6.7 M
• New Investment: $6.0 M
• Employees Trained: 2.4 K
• Jobs Retained: 455
• Jobs Created: 115
• Total Jobs: 570

• Project/Product Development Hours: 4,844
• Projects Completed: 126
• Companies Assisted: 63
• Client Satisfaction Rate: 95%
• Compared to the National Average: 86%

 In 2022, the WVU Industrial Extension travelled 83,000 miles in order to serve 26 counties:

• Barbour
• Berkeley
• Brooke
• Cabell
• Fayette
• Gilmer
• Greenbrier
• Hampshire
• Hancock
• Hardy
• Harrison
• Jackson
• Jefferson
• Kanawha
• Marion
• Marshall
• Mason
• Mercer
• Monongalia
• Monroe
• Ohio
• Putnam
• Randolph
• Taylor
• Wayne
• Wood

• 86% of the time, WVUIE is chosen for our staff expertise.
• 45% of the time, WVUIE is chosen for our cost/price of services.

• Employee Recruitment and Retention - 70.45%
• Ongoing Continuous Improvement/Cost Reduction Strategies - 61.36%
• Product innovation/development - 36.36%
• Identifying Growth Opportunities - 36.36%
• Managing Partners and Suppliers - 27.27%
• Technology Needs - 15.91%
• Sustainability in Products and Processes - 11.36%
• Exporting/Global Engagement - 9.09%
• Other - 9.09%
• Financing - 6.82%

• Workforce - 40.48%
• Quality Product Suite - 18.25%
• Engineering Services/Plant Layout - 13.49%
• Lean Product Suite - 11.90%
• Sustainability Service Suite - 11.90%
• Strategic/Business Management and Planning Services Suite - 1.59%
• Information Technology - 1.59%
• Technology Services Suite - 0.79%

MFG Day is manufacturing’s biggest annual opportunity to INSPIRE the next generation to start careers in modern manufacturing through a series of focused events to promote manufacturing to students, parents and educators on the first Friday of October continuing throughout the rest of the month.

As manufacturers seek to fill 4 million high-skill, high-tech and high-paying jobs over the next decade, MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.

Congratulations to Julia M., age 7, our 2022 Student Design Challenge Winner. Thank you to our sponsors: Manufacturing Institute and Blenko Glass Co.

To celebrate Manufacturing Day, we hosted/highlighted many events throughout October:

Events geared toward K-12 students:

• Blenko Student Design Challenge
• Virtual Tour of Almost Heaven Saunas
• Explore the New Manufacturing video with STOCKMEIER Urethanes USA, Inc.

Events geared toward WVU students:

• Tour of The Clorox Company
• Tour of Procter & Gamble
• Luncheon with Blue Ridge Community & Technical College
• Manufacturing reception with the West Virginia Department of Economic Development

The AIM Higher Consortium is a wide-ranging program funded by the Department of Defense with the goal of strengthening the defense supply chain in the Greater Pittsburgh region of Southwest Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

This effort includes accelerating research and innovation in defense manufacturing, fostering improvements and growth for defense supply chain organizations, addressing industry needs for workforce development and training, and providing access to capital for growth in the defense sector.

The Shale POWER initiative provides technical assistance and business support to small and medium manufacturers and enterprises seeking to expand business production and jobs in the shale gas and downstream manufacturing sectors in the coal-impacted Appalachian region.

Applicants may request a grant up to 50% of the total advanced manufacturing technology project cost. Awards are made on first-come, first-served basis and are between $1,000 and $5,000. Mini grants may be used to support project-related consulting costs, contracted services, software purchases, supplies, and one-time costs related to the implementation of advanced manufacturing technology.