Catalyst Connection Receives DOD funding to Strengthen the Defense Supply Chain
For Immediate Release —
September 24, 2020
Catalyst Connection Receives DOD funding to Strengthen the Defense Supply Chain in southwestern Pennsylvania and northern West Virginia
Pittsburgh, PA – The U.S. Department of Defense has named a local group led by Catalyst Connection as a Defense Manufacturing Community. This follows a national announcement of six grants totaling $25 million from the Office of Economic Adjustment under the Support Program.
Catalyst Connection won a highly competitive selection process to secure a $5 million grant. These funds support the Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (AIM) Defense Industry Consortium. The project strengthens defense production by blending advanced metals with AI, 3D printing, and robotics.
A total of 30 factories across Pennsylvania and West Virginia will join the new alliance. They will work together to train the regional workforce, drive innovation, and help manufacturers adopt modern technologies.
“Our region has amazing skills to support the defense industrial base,” shared Petra Mitchell, Catalyst Connection’s President and CEO. “Our research assets, progressive small factories, and highly skilled workers make this possible. This funding will boost our connections, grow our local defense supply chain, and support national security priorities.”
Core Strategic Goals of the AIM Consortium
The 30 groups in the AIM Consortium represent the cutting edge of defense tech. Over the next five years, the partnership network will boost the regional and national defense sectors through several key goals:
- Setting up anchor sites for factory support and collaboration.
- Launching a new regional research and innovation alliance.
- Fixing supply chain gaps and boosting business links.
- Improving and integrating modern workforce training.
- Giving technical aid to small defense manufacturers.
- Building the defense network with regular meetings and news updates.
About Catalyst Connection
Catalyst Connection supports small and mid-sized manufacturers across southwestern Pennsylvania. For more than 30 years, we have provided training and consulting to help shops accelerate sales growth and improve daily productivity.
To learn more about the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program, visit www.oea.gov. To learn about the regional defense designation or the AIM Consortium, please contact Catalyst Connection President & CEO, Petra Mitchell at pmitchell@catalystconnection.org. For more information about Catalyst Connection, visit www.catalystconnection.org.
DISTRIBUTION A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited
Media Contact: Allison Moux
Phone: 412.918.4252
Email: amoux@catalystconnection.org