Help for Import-Impacted Manufacturers

Help for Import-Impacted Manufacturers
Lowell, Mass., June 6, 2005 The New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Center, Inc. (NETAAC), is a government funded non-profit organization that offers cost share assistance for imported-injured manufacturers through grants from the U.S. Department of commerce. NETAACs goal is to help New England manufacturers increase profitability and retain employees while competing with imported products.
The New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers Executive Director, Richard McLaughlin, is pleased to announce the approval of the new grant from the US Department of Commerce, under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for firms. These funds will allow us to continue our efforts within the six New England states, stated Mr. McLaughlin.
Annually NETAAC provides grants for business services on a cost shared basis to assist New England manufacturers to compete profitably within foreign import markets. Mr. McLaughlin continued to state the NETAAC has assisted over 1200 New England Manufacturers through this program. To be eligible, manufacturers must show a decline in sales and employment, within the most recent twelve months, due to increasing imports into the U.S. domestic market.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance for firms is a federal program, which is regionally managed. NETAAC is one of a network of eleven non-profit Trade Centers nationally. A recent study by The Urban Institute concluded, Participating firms do well as a result of their participation. They found that both sales and employment increased after assistance and at rates significantly better than those of a control group of similar firms did. They attributed this positive result to the depth of breath of technical assistance available through the program as well as the ability to customize the assistance to the individual needs of a firm and to deliver it through the best available outside experts.
For more information about the New England Trade Adjustment Assistance Center, you can visit their website at www.netaac.org. Formal inquiries can be made directly to the center located at 600 Suffolk Street, Fifth Floor North, Lowell, MA 01844 or by calling (978) 446-9870.