For many decades, advanced manufacturing has been one of Greater Louisville’s signature industries. Access to major roadways, a skilled workforce, and an environment that supports continued innovation, has uniquely positioned the 15-county region for continued, and accelerated growth of this core sector.

However, advanced manufacturing is a rapidly changing and innovating field. New practices, increased technology and automation have created the need for more highly-skilled technical positions and more collaboration between major companies. Understanding and implementing rapidly evolving technology can be challenging, especially for smaller organizations with less resources at their disposal.

That is why Greater Louisville Inc. and GLI’s Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics (AML) Network is partnering with Advantage Kentucky Alliance (AKA) to ensure local manufacturing companies have the resources they need to grow, improve their processes, adopt advanced technologies, increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. AKA is the official representative of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network, which is a national public-private partnership with a presence in all 50 states that shares solutions and best practices to stimulate growth in U.S. manufacturing.

The MEP is focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results and compete in today’s rapidly innovating economy. The goal of the partnership is to help manufacturers reduce costs, attract new business, keep up with evolving technology, and ultimately grow the nation’s manufacturing sector.

AKA offers a range of cost-friendly services that can help you tweak or totally transform your practices and protocols. Their services range from identifying new sales, developing new products, entering new markets, and even launching new business models. In 2020, they helped create and retain over 2,400 jobs and created over $14.8 million in costs savings for Kentucky companies.

Interested in learning more about how AKA can help your business grow and keep up with innovative trends? Contact Charles Helms, GLI’s Director of Economic Development, to be connected with a local representative at [email protected].