New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program recognized as one of the network’s top performing centers

In the latest announcement of performance measures by the nationwide network of Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers, the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP) ranked among the top performing centers. NJMEP achieved a scorecard of 100 for the first quarter 2017.  Nationwide, only four other MEP centers achieved a score of 100 percent in Q1 2017.  There is at least one MEP center in every state and in Puerto Rico.

This successful MEP program was initiated in 1988 to assist Small & Mid-Sized Manufacturers to improve, grow, and employ Americans in the Manufacturing/STEM industry. “This is a program that has a Return on Investment of 9:1 as shown in a 2017 W.E. Upjohn Institute Report (The National-Level Economic Impact of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership {MEP}), and I believe you’d be hard-pressed to find another Government Program that provides such value,” said John W. Kennedy, Ph.D, CEO of New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program.

Client surveys constitute the core of a rigorous independent evaluation process that federal law requires for all MEP centers. Overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the MEP evaluation process uses an independent third party to collect quarterly data from MEP center clients. These quarterly surveys measure the impact of services provided by MEP centers to manufacturers in their state. The NIST-MEP uses this performance data as a core component in reviewing center performance. The results also provide the centers with a tool to measure their effectiveness and benchmark their performance against other centers nationwide.  This data includes increased and retained sales, cost savings, new investments, job creation and job retention, all as a result of working with their local MEP center.

“The quarterly client reporting rates for Q1 2017 reflect our centers’ commitment to client service.  Our MEP project managers develop close collaborative relations with their manufacturing clients and deliver services that impact their bottom line. I’m very proud that NJMEP represents the nation’s top-performing states,” said Kennedy.

“New Jersey legislators have supported the MEP program based on merit over the years and understand the value of the services we provide to manufacturers. One of the reasons for that sustained level of support has been the hard numbers that we can produce about impacts and results. Through client surveys, we can demonstrate the impact that MEP services have had in terms of increased manufacturing sales, improved worker skills, enhanced workforce productivity, increased production efficiency and new product development.  In our state alone, the New Jersey MEP, has provided a $3.4 Billion ROI and according to the manufacturers themselves, has assisted in creating and retaining over 28,000 manufacturing jobs,” Kennedy stated.

About NJMEP

NJMEP is a private, not-for-profit organization that improves the profitability and competitiveness of New Jersey’s manufacturers. Backed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), NJMEP enables organizations to enhance their productivity and efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve employee performance. For more than 20 years, NJMEP has used its extensive network of connections and proven track record of success to help manufacturers adapt to the latest innovative technologies and best practices to realize more than $3.4 billion in value. Our services are categorized into the following three areas: Operational Excellence, Innovation and Growth Strategies, and Workforce Development.