American manufacturing is thriving again with the help of these partnerships.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s helping keep American manufacturing alive and thriving in a global economy, look no further than Manufacturing USA and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). These two national programs are behind the scenes helping build a stronger, smarter, and more sustainable future for American industry.
Let’s break down what they are and why they matter.
What is Manufacturing USA?
Manufacturing USA is a network of 18 innovation institutes launched in 2014 with one mission: bring together government, industry, and academia to tackle tough challenges in manufacturing. These organizations focus on everything from robotics to textiles to clean energy.
Each institute serves as a hub, connecting researchers and engineers with manufacturers to move advanced technologies out of the lab and into production. The network is coordinated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and supported by multiple federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Energy.
Let’s look at three standout institutes making real impact.
- America Makes (3D Printing)
Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the nation’s hub for additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing. This technology allows manufacturers to create parts layer by layer from digital designs, reducing waste and enabling faster production.
One of its biggest successes? Helping GE Aviation move from prototyping to producing well over 100,000 3D-printed fuel nozzles for jet engines. These parts are lighter, more efficient, and made right here in the United States. And just earlier this year, GE announced a $51 million investment at its Auburn, Ala. plant, where 3D printers will added and upgraded.
The success with GE is just one example of how additive manufacturing is transforming industry. America Makes is also strengthening national defense through its strategic partnerships with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy. The institute is helping the military adopt and scale 3D printing to create faster, more flexible ways to produce parts and equipment. This includes support for aircraft, vehicles, and field operations. America Makes also works to train DOD personnel and build a national network of American businesses that are ready to supply and equip service members when called upon.
This effort goes beyond advancing technology. It ensures the U.S. military has the capability, workforce, and supply chain strength to remain mission ready. By helping integrate additive manufacturing into defense operations, America Makes is strengthening national security and supporting a modern, adaptable industrial workforce.
- PowerAmerica (Semiconductors)
In Raleigh, N.C., PowerAmerica is focused on a very specific and powerful technology: wide bandgap semiconductors. These materials, such as silicon-carbide (SiC) and gallium-nitride (GaN), are essential for energy-efficient electronics used in electric vehicles, solar panels, and smart grids. They help create technology that runs cooler, lasts longer, and uses less energy, making power electronics more efficient and affordable for a cleaner, more reliable future.
As PowerAmerica Executive Director and CTO Victor Veliadis, Ph.D., puts it, “GaN is largely fabricated overseas now, and we’d like to lead the charge in bringing much of that capacity back to the U.S.” That drive for domestic capability is central to PowerAmerica’s mission.
Thanks to their support, small companies like UnitedSiC (now part of onsemi) and GeneSiC (now part of Navitas Semiconductor) have grown into key suppliers for the electric vehicle (EV) market, creating jobs and strengthening our supply chain.
One of PowerAmerica’s biggest accomplishments has been helping to build a U.S.-based manufacturing network for semiconductor chips. The institute partnered with X-FAB Texas to create the world’s first open, high-volume SiC foundry in the United States. This made it significantly easier for startups and small manufacturers to produce advanced SiC chips without the massive cost of building their own fabrication facilities. The foundry’s success led to a $50 million funding boost under the CHIPS and Science Act in 2024 to expand its capacity, an investment that strengthens supply chain resilience and keeps critical semiconductor production right here on American soil.
- NIIMBL (Biomanufacturing)
Based in Newark, Del., the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is focused on modernizing the way we manufacture medicines like vaccines, antibodies, and cell therapies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NIIMBL played a key role in helping accelerate vaccine development and scale up production technologies.
Today, NIIMBL continues to lead the charge in making biopharmaceutical manufacturing faster, more efficient, and more flexible. Its focus is on existing medicines and therapies of the future. And its work helps ensure the United States can respond more quickly to health crises, while also improving the cost and accessibility of life-saving treatments.
In one project, NIIMBL helped develop a new production method that cut the timeline for producing coronavirus antigens by more than half. This faster process helped researchers respond more quickly during the pandemic and showed how innovative manufacturing approaches can directly support public health.
The institute’s success has also attracted significant investment. An initial $70 million investment from NIST has sparked more than $380 million in non-federal co-investment, reflecting strong support from both industry and academic partners for NIIMBL’s collaborative approach. This funding not only fuels innovation, it also helps strengthen the domestic biopharmaceutical supply chain.
From research into manufacturing, NIIMBL ensures that new medicines and therapies can reach patients faster and be produced right here in the United States.
What is the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)?
Run by NIST, MEP centers provide boots-on-the-ground help to small- and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs). They’re often the first place manufacturers turn before Googling for solutions. The MEP centers work on improving efficiency, upgrading technology, training workers, and solving everyday business problems.
And the impact? It’s huge.
In 2024 alone, MEP centers helped U.S. manufacturers achieve:
. $15 billion in new or retained sales
. 108,000 jobs created or retained
. $2.6 billion in cost savings
These results come from a national network; MEP centers operate in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, reaching manufacturers wherever they are.
That’s more than numbers. It’s success stories like these:
- In Wisconsin Palmer Hamilton, a furniture maker, was dealing with supply chain delays. The Wisconsin MEP, WMEP, stepped in and ran a Value Stream Mapping exercise right on the shop floor, helping the company boost output and prepare for a new CNC tube bender so it could start making critical parts in-house and rely less on outside suppliers.
- In Georgia Trenton Pressing partnered with its local MEP center, GAMEP, to tackle growing demand and quality challenges. With help from Georgia MEP, the company streamlined production, reduced scrap by 60%, and improved on-time delivery from 60% to over 90%, setting it up for continued success.
- In Michigan Spartan Steel Coating worked with its local MEP center, MMTC, to improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. By conducting a comprehensive energy audit, it identified opportunities that led to an estimated $1.5 million in annual energy savings.
- In Washington state Silicon Forest Electronics partnered with its MEP center, Impact Washington, to strengthen its cybersecurity posture and meet strict federal requirements for defense contractors. With this support, Silicon Forest conducted a thorough cybersecurity assessment and developed a compliance roadmap aligned with NIST SP 800-171 standards. This work helped the company maintain eligibility for DOD contracts and safeguard sensitive information.
Two Programs, One Mission
While the MEP national network focuses on deploying existing technologies and business practices to SMM’s at the local level, the institutes within Manufacturing USA concentrate on the development and scaling up of new technologies through research and development projects. The partnership between these groups helps bridge the gap between research and practical application and ensures that new technologies make it to the shop floor.
So whether it’s GE’s 3D-printed fuel nozzles, a COVID-era vaccine breakthrough, or a Midwestern machine shop finding new life through automation, these programs all share a common goal: strengthening American manufacturing. And the work of Manufacturing USA and MEP is making a real difference.