January 8, 2015
(Washington, DC )- The Council on Competitiveness is pleased to congratulate The University of Tennessee — Knoxville, a longstanding Council member, on being selected by the White House to lead a public-private partnership of 122 leading companies, universities, research laboratories and non-profits that will create a $250 million manufacturing innovation hub.
The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing is the latest in a series of manufacturing hubs that make up the President’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI).
President Obama, standing alongside Vice President Biden, made the important announcement today at an East Tennessee plastics manufacturing plant, Techmer PM. The focus of the new hub is on advanced composites manufacturing, which combines strong fibers with tough plastics. While advanced composites are lighter and stronger than steel and are currently used for expensive applications like satellites and luxury vehicles — bringing down the cost would allow for their use in a broader range of applications such as lighter weight, more fuel-efficient cars; lighter and longer wind turbine blades; and more efficient industrial equipment.
The Institute is supported by a $70 million federal Energy Department investment, combined with more than $180 million in private sector funds. The winning partners come from a world class team of U.S. manufacturers, universities, national laboratories and non-profits. They include Council members Lockheed Martin, GE Power & Water, Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
“We are truly excited to see the results that will come from bringing together so many leading businesses and organizations,” said Deborah L. Wince-Smith, President & CEO, Council on Competitiveness. “This new hub will unite manufacturers with top-tier research universities, such as the University of Tennessee with its pioneering 3D printed carbon fiber research. The combined resources and expertise of the team will catalyze a leap forward in composite manufacturing and further enhance U.S. competitiveness in clean energy technology.”
This newest public-private innovation hub in Tennessee is the next phase of the President’s vision for a full national network of manufacturing innovation institutes across the U.S. The pilot institute is headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio and is focused on reducing the cost of 3D printing metal by a factor of four, connecting small businesses with new opportunities — and partnering to provide more than 1,000 schools with access to 3D printers.
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of having just concluded the second full year of a multi-year partnership — the American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness (AEMC) Partnership — between the Council and the Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative.
The AEMC Partnership is focused on two major goals: increasing U.S. competitiveness in the production of clean energy products, and strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness across the board by increasing energy productivity.
The 2014 AEMC Summit was held in Washington, D.C. in September and attracted more than 500 CEOs, university presidents, national laboratory leaders, labor leaders and innovation/thought leaders from across the country.
This AEMC Summit is a series of annual events that highlights advances in energy and manufacturing and convenes pre-eminent leaders from industry, academia, labor, the national laboratories and the government. The AEMC Partnership and Summit is supported by continued dialogue and engagement from leaders, innovators and stakeholders across the U.S. over the coming years.
Related Links:
White House Fact Sheet
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Blog
DOE Video: Revolutionizing Clean Energy Technology with Advanced Composites
