Feb 5, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Illinois Defense Industry Adjustment Program Announces New Resource to Help Drive Technology Adoption among State’s Manufacturers and Defense Suppliers

Companies in the defense and manufacturing supply chain now have a new tool to use as they evaluate and adopt new technology. The Illinois Defense Industry Adjustment (DIA) Program and the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce have partnered to release a series of technology playbooks to help manufacturers and defense suppliers implement emerging technologies. The playbooks are digital how-to guides for implementing key technologies that were identified as critical for small and medium-sized companies to compete globally.

Funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense and operated by the University of Illinois System, the Illinois DIA Program supports the state’s defense and manufacturing industries by delivering new resources and insights. Home to the Rock Island Arsenal, the Quad Cities region has deep ties to both defense and manufacturing. In 2015, the Quad Cities Chamber launched their Manufacturing Innovation Hub (the “Hub”) to create a network of resources for their local industrial base.

Through the Hub, the Quad Cities Chamber partnered with the Illinois DIA Program to identify which technologies will have the greatest potential impact on local manufacturers and defense suppliers. These include Additive Manufacturing, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality, CAD/CAM, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, Digital B2B Platforms, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Robotics and Automation.

Each playbook provides an overview of the current technological landscape, shares best practices, identifies opportunities for use, builds the business case for, and outlines steps toward implementation. They also contain links to expert resources and partners for training, education, integration, and other support.

“Manufacturing and defense are vital to Illinois’ economy. We are thrilled to join with our partners at the Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub to help companies prepare for the technological changes that are coming,” said Joey Mak, Illinois DIA Program Director. “By transferring knowledge and insights from one region to another, we can strengthen Illinois’ industrial base and the local businesses that comprise it.”

“The Hub is dedicated to helping area manufacturers and others in the defense supply chain connect and collaborate as part of an ecosystem focused on growth, business diversification, and remaining competitive as market forces change,” said Kristin Glass, Quad Cities Chamber Interim President & CEO. “One such way we can do this is by providing a teaching tool – developed with the help of industry leaders with their fingers on the pulse of emerging technologies – to assist area companies in learning about the changes that are and will transform the face of the manufacturing and defense industries. Manufacturing and defense play a vital role in our regional economy, and both are facing changes. By working together, we can make our region stronger.”

To access the technology playbooks, go to http://quadcitieschamber.com/playbooks. To learn more about the Illinois DIA Program, please visit http://www.illinoisdia.org.

About the Illinois DIA Program

The Illinois DIA Program supports the state’s defense and manufacturing industries by delivering resources and providing new insights that help companies and communities grow, diversify, and become more resilient. The Illinois DIA Program works with communities across Illinois that are who have clear links to the defense industry based on the presence of key military assets, a high concentration of manufacturers, or both. These communities include the Quad Cities, Rockford, Northeastern Illinois, Peoria and Southwestern Illinois.

With funding from the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA), the program is executed through a partnership between the University of Illinois System, the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, and the Voorhees Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).

About the Quad Cities Chamber

The Quad Cities Chamber is a champion for business and community growth in the region. It proudly helps drive Q2030: A Regional Action Plan to increase talent, jobs and economic opportunity for all. The Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub is a program of the Chamber that supports the prosperity pillar of Q2030 by providing a network of resources and support for area manufacturers and others in the defense industry supply chain to connect, collaborate, and learn about the technological and digital changes that will transform the face of their industry.