10 MiMfg Magazine July 2020
Federal Program Helps Michigan
Manufacturers Beat Import Competition
By Scott Jacobs • Great Lakes Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
International competition is a persistent challenge
for small manufacturers. Despite soft markets and
the trade war, U.S. manufacturing imports totaled
almost $2.2 trillion in 2019, their second highest
level ever. And as the economy picks up speed,
foreign competition does so too.
Fortunately, help is available for companies hurt
by imports. Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms
(TAAF) is a little-known federal program specifically
designed to help small manufacturers recover and rebuild
business lost to imports. For companies in Michigan,
Ohio, and Indiana, the program is managed by the Great
Lakes Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (GLTAAC).
GLTAAC partners with affected firms to identify,
plan, and implement business improvement projects
to strengthen their overall competitiveness. Projects
are implemented using outside service providers, which
ensures the best fit for GLTAAC clients. And the
TAAF program provides up to $75,000 in matching
funds to help pay for the projects.
Who Qualifies?
To qualify for the TAAF program, a company must
be losing both sales and employment due, in part, to
imports. There is no cost to apply, and GLTAAC
handles all of the paperwork. A quick phone call is
usually all it takes to determine if a company can qualify.
How GLTAAC Helps
GLTAAC has worked with hundreds of importinjured
manufacturers in Michigan to connect them
with the help they need. Here’s how the process works:
• Each client works with a GLTAAC Project
Manager to create a customized action plan, which
identifies high-impact projects needed at the
firm. This plan acts as a roadmap for recovery.
• Then TAAF provides up to $75,000 in co-funding
assistance to implement the projects in the plan.
Most clients complete four to six projects through
the program, typically in three to five years.
Projects the TAAF Program Co-Funds
The TAAF program is extremely flexible. Here
are just a few examples of other projects our clients
have recently undertaken.
• Marketing and Sales Support: Lead development;
sales team training; market research to support
diversification; re-branding; e-marketing;
product testing
• Operations: Lean and Six Sigma implementations;
ISO / AS / IATF certification prep; process
re-engineering; automation implementation
• Systems: Selection, implementation, training
for ERP, CRM, MES, etc.; HR and
Purchasing improvements
• Training: CAD; CAM; machine skills; safety;
computer skills; leadership development;
supervisor training
• Other: financial management; job costing; bank
relationship development; succession planning
Learn More
• Learn more about the TAAF program and
whether your firm qualifies for assistance by
visiting www.gltaac.org.
• The TAAF program is funded and administered
by the Economic Development Administration
of the U.S. Department of Commerce (eda.gov).
• GLTAAC is part of the Economic Growth
Institute at the University of Michigan
(economicgrowth.umich.edu).
Scott Jacobs is Director for the Great Lakes Trade
Adjustment Assistance Center. He may be reached
at 734-998-6227 or [email protected].