Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Announces "Made In America Manufacturing Act" In Utica
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: February 22, 2013
In a time of cuts, manufacturing in New York may be on the rise. U.S.
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand made a stop in Utica this morning to announce
her new bill called the "Made In America Manufacturing Act," which she
says will increase growth in New York's manufacturing.
The Senator says in order to rebuild our economy, we must make more products in the U.S. and Central New York is ahead of that trend. She announced her legislation at ECR International in Utica; one of the many manufacturing companies in New York she says her legislation will help.
"We have to keep the manufacturers that are here strong and we also have to level the playing field so more businesses can grow," says Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D) New York.
ECR International manufactures boilers and heaters and they're the only North American company to make and market all of their products under one roof, boosting the global and area economy.
"It takes a lot of ingenuity to do, our workers are capable of putting that together, that's something that we're gonna do in this country and not a third world market," says Ron Passafaro, ECR International President.
The Senator's legislation would create a competitive program that awards states and regions with funding to support companies like ECR.
"These loans could be used to help businesses expand or build a new facility or upgrade or retool their operations," says Senator Gillibrand.
And says Senator Gillibrand says she's trying to establish a grant program that would focus on manufacturing communities with high unemployment, just like the Mohawk Valley.
"Between 2004 and 2008, the Mohawk Valley experienced an estimated 12% of decrease in manufacturing jobs, including a loss of more than 1,700 jobs in Oneida County," says Senator Gillibrand.
ECR agrees that manufacturing is the way to change this.
"Not only does the manufacturing facility provide jobs but we purchase from both local and remote suppliers so the spin off effect is really why manufacturing is so important," says Passafaro.
And while the Senator is trying to increase manufacturing, one of our biggest employers, Remington Arms, is being courted by other states. She says this legislation could help.
"If they were able to apply for the grant with the region, they would have more access to capital to do that kind of work. We also want to again train our workforce so they can be more and more hone to the skills our manufacturers need so I think companies in New York like Remington would benefit greatly from this kind of bill," says Senator Gillibrand.
In the first year, the new legislation would award ten $20-million dollar grants throughout our country.
The Senator says in order to rebuild our economy, we must make more products in the U.S. and Central New York is ahead of that trend. She announced her legislation at ECR International in Utica; one of the many manufacturing companies in New York she says her legislation will help.
"We have to keep the manufacturers that are here strong and we also have to level the playing field so more businesses can grow," says Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, (D) New York.
ECR International manufactures boilers and heaters and they're the only North American company to make and market all of their products under one roof, boosting the global and area economy.
"It takes a lot of ingenuity to do, our workers are capable of putting that together, that's something that we're gonna do in this country and not a third world market," says Ron Passafaro, ECR International President.
The Senator's legislation would create a competitive program that awards states and regions with funding to support companies like ECR.
"These loans could be used to help businesses expand or build a new facility or upgrade or retool their operations," says Senator Gillibrand.
And says Senator Gillibrand says she's trying to establish a grant program that would focus on manufacturing communities with high unemployment, just like the Mohawk Valley.
"Between 2004 and 2008, the Mohawk Valley experienced an estimated 12% of decrease in manufacturing jobs, including a loss of more than 1,700 jobs in Oneida County," says Senator Gillibrand.
ECR agrees that manufacturing is the way to change this.
"Not only does the manufacturing facility provide jobs but we purchase from both local and remote suppliers so the spin off effect is really why manufacturing is so important," says Passafaro.
And while the Senator is trying to increase manufacturing, one of our biggest employers, Remington Arms, is being courted by other states. She says this legislation could help.
"If they were able to apply for the grant with the region, they would have more access to capital to do that kind of work. We also want to again train our workforce so they can be more and more hone to the skills our manufacturers need so I think companies in New York like Remington would benefit greatly from this kind of bill," says Senator Gillibrand.
In the first year, the new legislation would award ten $20-million dollar grants throughout our country.
The Made
in America Manufacturing Act would allow localities to use funding to:
Set up a revolving loan fund
to help manufacturing businesses expand or establish new manufacturing
operations. According to a Commerce Department report, the lack of
available capital to manufacturers has especially restricted the ability
of many small manufacturers to grow and compete.
Without equipment upgrades and expansions, New York's manufacturing
sector will continue to lose its competitive edge in the global economy.
In
an effort to retool New York manufacturers to be more competitive and
create
new jobs, the revolving loan fund would provide manufacturers with
direct access to low-interest loans that are below market rate to
construct new facilities or to retool, retrofit or expand existing
plants, including equipment, infrastructure or energy efficiency
upgrades. The federal investment could also help leverage matching funds
from the private sector and other non-federal sources.
Create job training programs
to help address the skills gap faced by our manufacturers. By working
with community colleges, vocational education programs and job training
providers to tailor education and training programs to the skill needs
of manufacturers, this program will focus on
strategies that train workers for the jobs of the future, and creating
more good-paying manufacturing jobs right here in the U.S.
According
to a 2011 survey by the Manufacturing Institute, more than 600,000
manufacturing
jobs went unfilled due to a shortage of skilled workers. A 2012 survey
noted that one-third of small businesses struggled to recruit employees
with the needed education and training. Gillibrand's Made in America
program would ensure federal funds are invested
in job training partnerships to help directly meet the needs of local
manufacturers.
Provide capital and technical assistance
to boost exporting opportunities for manufacturers through supporting
research and analysis of markets and countries with the greatest
potential for expanding business as well as connecting innovative small
manufacturers with larger companies as a supplier
or to take advantage of government or private sector contracts.
New
York organizations including Mohawk Valley EDGE, the Manufacturers
Association of Central
New York (MACNY), CenterState CEO, the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and
High Tech Rochester support Gillibrand's legislation. National groups
such as AFL-CIO, United Steelworkers, and the American Small
Manufacturers' Coalition also support the bill.
