NE Valley Times

Manufacturers that could use help because of the COVID-19 pandemic with strategic planning, rebuilding customer demand, training, logistics and other services can find it through the Arizona Commerce Authority’s Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership (AZ MEP).

Arizona received $730,000 in a one-time allocation as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the AZ Commerce Authority reported.

Companies producing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other supplies in response to COVID-19 also are eligible for assistance, the AZ Commerce Authority website reported.

“Manufacturing is a key driver of Arizona’s economy, and providing support to our small manufacturers who are experiencing challenges related to the pandemic is critical,” Sandra Watson, Arizona Commerce Authority president and CEO, said, the AZ Commerce Authority website reported.

AZ MEP services in the program include strategic planning and identification of new markets, rebuilding customer demand, overcoming supply chain disruptions, financial and cash flow management, lean manufacturing and continuous improvement, staffing, training and workforce development, maintaining a safe workplace in a COVID-19 world, cybersecurity risk assessment and compliance planning.

Manufacturers from across the state can apply, and those applications are being processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Notifications will be made within one week of filing an application.