Obama Proposes New Manufacturing Hub

CLEVELAND — President Obama advocated for creation of a new manufacturing hub to develop protective fabrics during a speech before members of the City Club of Cleveland.

The new center would be modeled on America Makes, formally known as the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, based in Youngstown. America Makes, which focuses on additive manufacturing, opened in 2012 and is the first manufacturing hub created by the Obama Administration..

Obama told his audience, gathered at the Global Center for Health Innovation here, about another $500 million in new public and private investment targeted by his administration for innovations in American manufacturing. “And that includes a new manufacturing hub that will make America a leader in producing high-tech fabrics for uniforms our soldiers wear in battle,” he said.

In addition, the White House is launching a “Supply Chain Innovation Initiative” focused on building public-private partnership to strength small manufacturers, Obama said.

Before speaking to the City Club, Obama toured the Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network Innovation Center at Cleveland State University, the nonprofit known as Magnet.

Late last year, Congress approved establishing a network of manufacturing hubs as part of the omnibus budget legislation. In a statement released following the president’s speech, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13 Ohio, praised his plan to expand the network of manufacturing hubs.

“Manufacturing is the backbone of the American economy. I applaud President Obama for announcing nearly $500 million in public-private investments to strengthen American manufacturing and for his continued support for building manufacturing innovation institutes across the nation,” he said. “This initiative follows the success of Youngstown’s America Makes, which was the first pilot institute that laid the groundwork for this program.”

Ryan’s statement noted that he is offering an amendment to the 2016 budget proposed by Republicans to provide $3.2 billion to establish a “Scale-Up Manufacturing Initiative” and expand the National Network of Manufacturing Institutes.

“This amendment will ensure that we will remain on the cutting edge of technology and that we will continue to build a better and brighter future right here in Ohio and across this great nation,” he remarked.

CLICK HERE to read White House fact sheet about new investments in advanced manufacturing.

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