It was recently announced that in order to support small to medium sized businesses within the Pittsburgh area, with the transition into a more sustainable business which uses greener manufacturing techniques, these manufacturing companies will be eligible to apply for technical and capital assistance. The Pittsburgh region made this decision in order to provide the necessary support to those companies who are already switching, and also to encourage more manufacturing companies to adopt greener processes, now that they have the opportunity to gain help through funding.

This Pittsburgh-based nonprofit’s effort has been on going for 36 years and has the sole aim to support manufacturing companies based throughout southeastern Pennsylvania. The providers of the grant have also agreed to extend that support to West Virginia, New York, Maryland, and Ohio.

Although statistics show that the level of companies and people committed to manufacturing within Pittsburgh has declined since 1950, it is estimated by the Bureau of Labor that 85,000 people are still committed to manufacturing. The areas of note which are most committed include, metal fabrication and machining, who are actively supporting energy, transportation and defence sectors.

One of the investments most recently announced was $10 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission awarded this week to Catalyst Connection. The Executive Director at Catalyst Connection, Petra Mitchell, has been with Catalyst Connection for just under 30 years and she stated that over the years, the manufacturing company has gone through and seen a lot of change. The results of this have brought it to where it is today, which is the point where environmental sustainability is held at the forefront of the manufacturing sector’s values.

Having been awarded the $10 million, Mitchell has stated her plan to help other companies with this money as well. She says that there are 10,000 manufacturing companies within the 156-country footprint and her aim is to provide help to 1,000 of them, by gradually granting them a maximum of $10,000 in increments throughout the next four years in order to help them improve and advance their operations.

Mitchell reports, “We really want companies to think about how they can reduce their own waste, reduce their own energy, and reduce any emissions. Where are those clean energy and sustainability products, and how can they be utilized and implemented, leveraged so that we can say, ‘Hey, not only are manufacturers part of the future supply chains, but they’re part of the future solution in multiple ways.’”

The Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies grant issued through the ARC, is where the investment to Catalyst Connection came from and this operation was set up with the aim to encourage companies to collaborate. Commission co-chair Gayle Manchin commented on this aim, explaining that it isn’t about companies competing each other, but it’s about companies winning together.

“When we truly think about our Appalachian region and the opportunities that we have and will continue to have, it’s really going to be important that we know each other across the states and that we’re comfortable working with each other,” Manchin said. “And that it’s not, ‘I have to compete against you to get money, [rather,] I can compete with you, and we both benefit.’”

So far, $46.8 million in ARISE grants have been awarded, leaving $227 million still available.