About:

Since 1984, MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network, has assisted thousands of manufacturers through its Edison Technology Center programs, Manufacturing Extension Partnership services and business incubation programs. Recently, MAGNET has expanded its mission to assist manufacturers through programs that address manufacturing-related education, competitiveness, innovation, global development and regulatory affairs. MAGNET is a "one-stop shop" for manufacturers seeking resources to become or remain globally competitive.

Fund Support:

$4.3 million

Performance:

Based on federal reviews of its operations, MAGNET generates more than $150 million in economic impact on an annual basis by assisting with new product innovation, plant expansions and productivity initiatives. It is working with BioEnterprise to assist more of the region’s manufacturers to serve the growing medical manufacturing sector. And in 2009 it launched a program to assist automotive manufacturers to diversify into growing markets and an Eco-Smart manufacturing program aimed to help manufacturers with environmental, conservation, and safety concerns.

2012 Update:

  • A private donor-advised fund fulfilled the Burton D. Morgan Challenge for $10,000 to outfit new “Beta Space” Resource Room within The Incubator at MAGNET. The "Beta Space" will open in Spring 2012.
  • Received a $25,000 grant for operations from the Moll Foundation.
  • Finalizing $150,000+ role in JobsOhio/TeamNEO “NEO-Net” project, working with NEO area chambers to serve regional manufacturers
  • MAGNET’s PRISM program featured in article by Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Fellow Bruce Katz.  (“Bringing Ohio’s Rust-Belt Industries into the 21st Century,” in The Atlantic Cities, 1/15/12.)
    MAGNET’s CEO and President Dan Berry featured in Crain’s Cleveland Business “Economic Outlook 2012: Manufacturing”
  • Partneredwith NASA, City of Cleveland & Cuyahoga County to offer & administer “Manufacturing Innovation Project,” includes pro bono NASA engineer assistance as well as $450K in loans available for small manufacturers (<$50M in revenue).
  • Client company Morrison Products wins state Edison Center recognition and is also featured NIST/MEP Make it in America series as “Manufacturer of the Week”  
  •  Incubator tenants Metaloy and Osteosymbotics featured in ODOD’s HiVelocity e-newsletter, Jan. and Feb. 2012;  Incubator tenant Cleveland Whiskey featured on NBC affiliate WKYC and online version of USA Today in December. The company has come up with a process to age whiskey in a fraction of the time it traditionally takes. 
  • MAGNET Incubator tenant Vadxx Energy and Rockwell Automation signed an agreement to help Vadxx refine its proprietary process to manufacture synthetic crude oil & natural gas from waste products.
  • MAGNET 5-year economic impact data indicates that the 796 process improvement and product development projects MAGNET has delivered to 398 manufacturers since July 2006 have helped those companies: achieve $655 million in increased or retained sales,  attain $83 million in cost savings, invest $195 million in their operations, and create or retain 6,142 manufacturing jobs.
    Total documented economic impact of $993 million took place between July 2006 and June 2011. Figures collected and confirmed from MAGNET clients by Turner Marketing, an independent third-party firm used the United States Department of Commerce for data collection.
    Companies attracted, if applicable:  
  • MAGNET leadership joined a State Advisory Panel on Manufacturing, with other Edison centers involved. Specific focus on Workforce Development.
  • Through collaborative Workforce Development efforts with Ohio Dept. of Jobs & Family Services/Office of Veteran Affairs, placed  22 veterans in jobs  from November 2011 job fair.
  • Participating in renewed World Trade Center-Cleveland initiative with partners Global Cleveland, BioE and others.