Chicago metro region designated one of 12 "Manufacturing Communities"

Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, Gov. Pat Quinn, D.-Ill., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D.-Ill., have announced that the Chicago metro region is one of the first 12 locations to be designated a “Manufacturing Community” through the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership (IMCP) initiative. The U.S. Commerce Department-led program is designed to accelerate the resurgence of manufacturing in communities nationwide by supporting the development of long-term economic development strategies that help communities attract and expand private investment in the manufacturing sector and increase international trade and exports.

Currently there are more than 3,700 metal and machining firms in the Chicago metro region, employing more than 100,000 people and generating $30 billion in annual revenue.

As one of 12 designated Manufacturing Communities, the Chicago metro region is eligible for $1.3 billion in future federal funding in workforce development; supplier network; research and innovation; infrastructure and site development; trade and international investment; and operational improvement and capital access. It also will receive coordinated support from 11 federal agencies, including a designated liaison at each agency, to help navigate available resources.

Partners in the Chicago Metro Metal Consortium include Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing, Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, city of Chicago, city of Joliet, Cook County, DuPage County, DuPage Workforce Board, Funk Linko, Harper College (on behalf of Illinois Network for Advanced Manufacturing), Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, Kane County, Kendall County, Lake County and Lake County Partners, McHenry County, McHenry County Workforce Net Board, UI Labs, University of Illinois, Will County, Will County Workforce Investment Board, and World Business Chicago.