Governor Rell Announces Federal Grant

Funding to Support Connecticut Manufacturers

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded a grant of more than $428,000 to Connecticut’s State Technology Extension Program – known as CONNSTEP Inc. – to continue providing services and support to the state’s manufacturers.

            The $428,120 grant from the National Institute of Standards & Technology is intended to fund operations between February and June of this year. CONNSTEP’s manufacturing consultants provide a broad array of services to small- and medium-sized manufacturers to help them boost efficiency, address customer needs, improve product quality and develop strategic plans for future growth.

            “Helping our manufacturers improve their efficiency and productivity is key to helping them grow and create jobs,” Governor Rell said. “Especially with the world economy in a slump, companies all over the globe are looking for every advantage they can find. We must do everything in our power to help Connecticut’s manufacturers stay competitive – at home and abroad – and this funding helps strengthen their edge in the national and international marketplaces. We are already seeing results from the work of CONNSTEP and this latest round of federal funding is an important investment in the future.”

            For the 2008 fiscal year – July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008 – CONNSTEP reported these results:

·        349 jobs created or retained

·        $242 million in sales impact

·        $8.7 million in company cost reductions

·        $22 million in company reinvestment

            One-third of the funding for CONNSTEP (www.connstep.org) comes from NIST, with the balance coming from state funds, other regional partners and revenue from fees paid by manufacturers for the services they receive. Since 1994, CONNSTEP has received an average of $1 million per year from NIST.