Montana Manufacturing Extension Center Is First Grant Recipient – Grant from Montana’s New Homestead Act Funds – WIRED Grant

Governor Brian Schweitzer along with The Department of Labor
and Industry, The Department of Commerce, The Governor’s Office of
Economic Development and the Department of Agriculture today announced
Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) http://www.mtmanufacturingcenter.com/ as the first in a series
of grant recipients of Montana’s New Homestead Act (WIRED) funds.

MMEC will receive $699,134 over three years.

* $184,803 first year (partial)

* $246,619 second year

* $267,712 third year

"MMEC has a proven track record of providing training in advanced
manufacturing for Montana’s businesses," said Governor Brian Schweitzer.
"The award will be used to diversify and increase the economic base in
the WIRED region by developing and delivering client-driven training to
improve skills, productivity, and wages of new and incumbent workers."

"This is a real example of cultivating the manufacturing sector we call
value-added agriculture," commented MMEC Director Steve Holland. "The
fields of bio-lubricants and bio-products represent a huge potential for
Montana. We are excited to have the opportunity to help grow these
innovative clusters and a more robust economy for Montana."

Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC) is an outreach and applied
research center in Montana State University’s College of Engineering.
MMEC was an integral partner in the initial proposal to the US
Department of Labor for the WIRED initiative.

WIRED Montana, encompassing 32 counties and six Indian reservations,
proposes the creation of bioproduct clusters as a globally competitive
enterprise that will result in high paying jobs in rural communities.

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Sarah J. Elliott
Communications Director
Governor Brian Schweitzer
406-444-9725
[email protected]

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$15M WIRED grant aims to train rural workers. Montana towns, colleges to be engaged in developing alternative fuels http://www.matr.net/article-19370.html