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NEPIRC News – Volume 39 | January 2024

Regional Firms Report Significant Savings, Revenue Growth & Expansion Through Expertise and Training Provided by NEPIRC

  Wilkes-Barre, PA., January 2024 – Throughout 2023, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) provided assistance to 183 regional small and mid-sized manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program office recently released a report summarizing the one-year financial and operational impacts of those services based upon voluntary surveys completed by…

Pennsylvania Manufacturers Report Significant Benefits and Impacts from Statewide Industrial Resource Center (IRC) Program

Wilkes-Barre, PA., January 2024 – According to data voluntarily provided by 575 small and mid-sized manufacturing firms across Pennsylvania throughout 2023, the statewide Industrial Resource Center (IRC) initiative, the Commonwealth’s flagship program for strengthening the competitiveness and resiliency of smaller industrial firms, generated significant positive results among users of their services. Over the past 12…

NEPIRC News – Volume 38 | December 2023

NEPIRC ADDS SAFELANDUSA CERTIFICATION TO EXPANDED SAFETY TRAINING PORTFOLIO

(Wilkes-Barre, PA — November 3, 2023) — The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announces that Brian Matyjevich, Lean enterprise consultant and authorized OSHA outreach trainer, recently obtained SafeLandUSA trainer certification from West Virginia University. SafeLandUSA training is an eight-hour course that meets the requirements of several regulations pertaining to safety standards applicable to the…

NEPIRC MARKETING MANAGER APPOINTED TO NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE

(Wilkes-Barre, PA — November 2023) — The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announces that Chelsey Coslett, manager of marketing and stakeholder engagement, recently accepted an invitation to join the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network’s marketing steering committee.     As a member of the MEPNN marketing steering committee, Coslett joins 10 other marketing professionals…

NEPIRC Annual Board Meeting Welcomes New Members and Recognizes Long-Term Members

(Wilkes-Barre, PA — November 2023) — Eric Joseph Esoda, president and CEO of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announced the addition of new members to the organization’s board of directors and honored three retiring board members for their dedicated service to advancing the organization’s mission during a recent networking event. NEPIRC’s new board…

NEPIRC News – Volume 37 | November 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 36 | October 2023

NEPIRC’S MANUFACTURING BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT AND EXPO BRINGS MANUFACTURERS AND THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER TO LISTEN, LEARN AND COLLABORATE

(Wilkes-Barre, PA October 13, 2023) — The 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo, the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event, was held on October 13 at Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center in Wilkes-Barre Twp. Organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), the event provided an opportunity for manufacturers from an 11-county…

NEPIRC News – Volume 35 | September 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 34 | August 2023

CRAYOLA COO NAMED KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT NEPIRC’S MANUFACTURING BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT AND EXPO

(Wilkes-Barre, PA August 2, 2023) — Pete Ruggiero, Chief Operating Officer of Crayola, will serve as the keynote speaker at the 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo, the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event, organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC). This year’s expo will be held on Friday, October…

TICKETS ON SALE FOR NEPIRC’S MANUFACTURING BEST PRACTICES SUMMIT AND EXPO

(Wilkes-Barre, PA July 6, 2023) — Tickets are now available for the 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo, the region’s largest manufacturing trade show and networking event, organized by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC). This year’s expo will be held on Friday, October 13 at Mohegan Pennsylvania Convention Center, Wilkes-Barre Twp. Individual…

Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) Enters Alliance Agreement with OSHA

(Wilkes-Barre, PA July 14, 2023) – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announced that it has entered into a two-year Alliance Agreement with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Through this agreement, NEPIRC will be able to expand its industrial safety training programs and employee safety services to regional…

NEPIRC News – Volume 33 | July 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 32 | June 2023

NEPIRC DREAM TEAM AMBASSADORS INSPIRE THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS ACROSS NEPA TO CONSIDER CAREERS IN MANUFACTURING

(Wilkes-Barre, PA May 23, 2023) — The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center’s (NEPIRC) Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team Program is making an impact on high school students throughout northeastern, northern and north central Pennsylvania, just weeks after the program was officially introduced. Since the program’s launch earlier this spring, the Dream Team Ambassadors have spoken to…

NEPIRC News – Volume 31 | May 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 30 | April 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 29 | March 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 28 | February 2023

NEPIRC News – Volume 27 | January 2023

NEPIRC Announces Opening of Effort, PA Office; Now Serves Manufacturers Through Four Regional Facilities

Wilkes-Barre, PA., March 2023 – Earlier this month, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) celebrated the opening of its Monroe County office. With the addition of its presence within the Human Resources Center building at 231 Service Road in Effort, PA, NEPIRC now serves manufacturers across its 11-county region with four facilities – Effort,…

NEPIRC Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team Program Exceeding First-Year Expectations

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center’s (NEPIRC’s) Manufacturing Ambassador Dream Team Program, which introduces high school and community college students and their faculty to exciting industrial career opportunities, has received outstanding support from manufacturers and schools across NEPIRC’s 11-county region. NEPIRC’s first-year goals for the program included recruiting 15 younger manufacturing professionals (or Dream Team…

NEPIRC Professional Achieves ISO 14001 Lead Auditor Designation

Wilkes-Barre, PA., January 2023 – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is pleased to announce that the organization’s Lean Enterprise Consultant, Brian Matyjevich, recently completed the British Standards Institution’s (BSI’s) ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor Training course and successfully obtained designation as an ISO 14001:2015 Lead Auditor with competencies in Environmental Management Systems, Management Systems…

NEPIRC Ramps Up Manufacturing Ambassador Program to Introduce High School Students and Faculty to Industrial Career Opportunities

Wilkes-Barre, PA., January 2023 – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) recently ramped-up its newly-announced Dream Team Manufacturing Ambassador Program by adding a Project Coordinator to its team. Ms. Jenelle Osborne, working in collaboration with Chelsey Coslett, NEPIRC’s Manager of Marketing & Stakeholder Engagement and in concert with other economic and workforce development representatives,…

Pennsylvania Manufacturers Attribute Significant Job, Revenue and Technology Benefits to Statewide Industrial Resource Center (IRC) Program

Wilkes-Barre, PA., January 2023 – Data voluntarily provided to independent researchers by 541 small and mid-sized manufacturing firms across Pennsylvania throughout 2022, and subsequently verified by the U.S. Department of Commerce, confirm that the statewide Industrial Resource Center (IRC) initiative – the Commonwealth’s flagship program for strengthening the competitiveness and resiliency of smaller industrial firms…

NEPIRC News – Volume 26 | December 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 25 | November 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 24 | October 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 23 | September 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 22 | August 2022

Gov. Wolf: New Funding Awarded to Create ‘Dream Team’ Ambassador Program in Northeast PA to Encourage High School Students to Consider Careers in Manufacturing

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced $150,900 in new funding for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), through Pennsylvania’s Manufacturing PA Training-to-Career Program (MTTC), to support a manufacturing career awareness program in northeastern Pennsylvania where young professionals talk to high school and college students about the benefits and rewards of a career…

NEPIRC Welcomes Two New Business Advisors to its Team

Wilkes-Barre, PA (July 2022) – To better assist manufacturers in capitalizing on growth opportunities, addressing workforce challenges and implementing new technologies, NEPIRC gladly welcomes Victoria Bradley and Courtney Deignan to its team of professionals. Both will serve as Business Advisors and be responsible for cultivating, maintaining an expanding NEPIRC’s relationships with regional manufacturing clients.   …

NEPIRC Celebrates Hazleton Field Office with Ribbon Cutting

Wilkes-Barre, PA (May 2022) – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), headquartered in Hanover Twp., celebrated the opening of its Hazleton field office on Friday, June 10. NEPIRC’s new office, which includes access to a state-of-the-art in-person and virtual training room, is located within the CAN BE Innovation Center at 103 Rotary Drive, West…

NEPIRC News – Volume 21 | July 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 20 | June 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 19 | May 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 18 | April 2022

NEPIRC Mobilizing to Assist Displaced Preferred Meals Employees

Wilkes-Barre, PA (May 2022) – In response to the recent announcement by Elior North America that they will be closing the Preferred Meals plant in Moosic, PA – putting 285 full-time workers out of a job, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) has announced a special campaign to quickly place those individuals within other…

NEPIRC News – Volume 17 | March 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 16 | February 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 15 | January 2022

NEPIRC News – Volume 14 | December 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 13 | November 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 12 | October 2021

NEPIRC COVID-19 Response Efforts for Manufacturers Earns National Award

Wilkes-Barre, PA – The International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the world’s largest association of economic development organizations and practitioners, recently presented the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) with an International Silver Award for its COVID-19 Resiliency, Recovery & Mitigation Efforts for Manufacturers. According to data reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce and obtained…

Regional Manufacturing Day Event Rescheduled to May 2022

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announced that its Manufacturing Day 2021 Best Practices Summit & Expo, scheduled for October 1st at the Mohegan Sun Pocono Convention Center, has been rescheduled to May 6th, 2022.   Eric Joseph Esoda, NEPIRC president and CEO, noted that the decision to reschedule was made out of concern…

NEPIRC News – Volume 11 | September 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 10 | August 2021

NEPIRC Manufacturing Day 2021 Expo to Highlight Manufacturers and Encourage Regional Supply Chains

Wilkes-Barre, PA., August 9, 2021 – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) announced the return of its regional National Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY) 2021 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit & Expo. This year’s event will be at the Mohegan Sun Pocono Convention Center on October 1st, 2021. The event, which attracted nearly 400 participants in…

NEPIRC Launches Regional Manufacturer Job Board; Connects Job Seekers to Exciting Careers

Wilkes-Barre, PA., July 28, 2021 – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) recently launched the region’s first manufacturer job board to connect job seekers throughout northeastern, central and the northern tier of Pennsylvania with manufacturing firms that are growing and adding to their teams. To date, the job board (www.NEPIRC.com/ManufacturingJobs) represents over 60 manufacturers…

NEPIRC News – Volume 09 | July 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 08 | June 2021

Regional Manufacturers Experience Dynamic Growth; Rebound Quickly with NEPIRC Assistance

Wilkes-Barre, PA., July 12, 2021 – The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) closed out its most recent fiscal year on June 30, 2021, with reports of dynamic growth and much faster than expected COVID-19 recovery among its manufacturing clients over the past year. Throughout the past 12 months, NEPIRC assisted more than 400 manufacturers…

NEPIRC News – Volume 07 | May 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 06 | April 2021

NEPIRC Manufacturing Clients Increase Sales, Create Jobs & Invest in Expansion Despite Pandemic-Related Challenges

Wilkes-Barre, PA., March 24, 2021 – According to the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center’s (NEPIRC’s) recently-released annual impact report, the organization’s manufacturing clients realized $95.5 million of new and retained sales and $12.6 million of cost savings as direct results of NEPIRC’s consultative services throughout 2020. Those impacts allowed their clients to create and retain…

NEPIRC News – Volume 05 | March 2021

Legal Aspects of COVID-19 Vaccination for Employers Webinar Resources

Click HERE to easily download the presentation slide deck, along with the webinar’s FAQ document, which contains the questions posed by attendees during the presentation. Click HERE to see the FAQ

Leading Technology Institute Report: Manufacturing Sector Top Contributor to Economy in 31 of 67 Pennsylvania Counties; 2nd Largest Sector in Commonwealth

A February 2021 report issued by the State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI), a national research, education and information organization dedicated to supporting prosperity nationwide, identified the manufacturing sector as a critical component of Pennsylvania’s existing economy and future economic vitality. More specifically, the report, which analyzed Gross State Product (GSP) and Gross Domestic Product…

Study Quantifies Impact of Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program – With Pennsylvania Affiliates a Prominent Contributor

A January 2021 study by Summit Consulting, a New Jersey-based quantitative research firm, and independent analysts from the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research of Michigan found that the National Institute of Standards & Technology’s (NIST’s) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program generates substantial financial returns for the U.S. Treasury by creating jobs, increasing profitability…

NEPIRC News – Volume 04 | February 2021

NEPIRC News – Volume 03 | January 2021

Manufacturing and the PA Industrial Resource Centers: Drivers of Pennsylvania’s Economy Video

Many thanks to Coal Creative for partnering with the Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Centers (IRCs) in the creation of their 2020 annual report video. This video outlines the strides our state’s manufacturing industry has made this year in terms of the number of established manufacturing companies, job creation, dollars of goods produced and the number of…

NEPIRC’s Ray Kryeski and Brian Matyjevich Attain AS 9100:2016 Certification

WILKES-BARRE, PA (November 2020): The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is pleased to announce that two of its staff members, Ray Kryeski, Mechanical Engineer, and Brian Matyjevich, Lean Enterprise Consultant, recently attained their AS 9100:2016 certifications. As a result, the pair will host NEPIRC’s AS 9100:2016 Revision D Internal Auditor Training in spring 2021.…

NEPIRC President & CEO Appears on Local TV Show, PA Live

In early November, NEPIRC President & CEO, Eric Joseph Esoda, was interviewed by Chris Bohinski for Eyewitness News WBRE WYOU’s PA Live show. During the interview, Eric discussed the importance of the manufacturing sector on our local economy. He also touched on the no-cost COVID-19 services and resources NEPIRC offers, along with how the manufacturing…

NEPIRC News – Volume 02 | December 2020

NEPIRC News – Volume 01 | November 2020

NEPIRC TO HOST FREE VIRTUAL MANUFACTURING DAY

WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 2020): The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) will host its annual Manufacturing Day event on Friday October 2nd, 2020. This year’s Manufacturing Day is free to all manufacturers and will be streamed virtually thanks to our partner, Coal Creative. When registering, attendees will have the option to select from a number…

Strong First Six Months for Manufacturers

Pennsylvania Manufacturers, IRC Clients Report Strong Sales, Jobs & Investment Levels Over First Six Months of 2020 WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 2020): The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) reported that statewide Industrial Resource Center (IRC) manufacturing clients realized $252.4 million in new and retained sales and $15.3 million in cost savings during the first six…

NEPIRC Provides Free COVID-19 Recovery Recommendation Reports To Regional Manufacturers

WILKES-BARRE, PA (July 2020): The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is providing free COVID-19 Recovery Recommendation Reports to small and mid-sized manufacturers throughout northeastern and the northern tier of Pennsylvania. NEPIRC’s effort is a direct result of CARES Act funding provided to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)…

Governor Wolf Announces PA Innovation Plan

Additional investment in Industrial Resource Centers will accelerate use of advanced manufacturing technologies. WILKES-BARRE, PA (Jan 30, 2020) – Governor Tom Wolf recently revealed his proposed 2020-21 budget for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. That budget includes a $2.5 million increase for the Industrial Resource Center (IRC) network across Pennsylvania to expand their capacity to deliver…

2020 Upjohn Report Identifies Significant Returns on State Investment in PAMEP and IRCs

WILKES-BARRE, PA (Jan. 27, 2020)  A study released earlier this month by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research concluded that Pennsylvania Manufacturing Extension Partnership (PA MEP) operations, as implemented by statewide Industrial Resource Centers (IRCs), provide a one-year return of $7.5:$1 on state funds invested in the program. PA MEP serves as Pennsylvania’s center…

ARC PA MAKES Mini-Grant Program

ARC PA MAKES Mini-Grant Program Introduction The ARC PA MAKES Mini-Grant Program is funded by the Appalachian Regional Commission and features grants available only through local Industrial Resource Centers, including NEPIRC. The PA Makes Mini-Grant Program designed to assist manufacturers within regions of Pennsylvania that were once dependent upon the “coal economy” diversify and grow.…

NEPIRC Board of Directors Elects New Officers

Wilkes-Barre, PA – The Board of Directors of NEPIRC – the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center – elected new officers at its Annual Meeting held in Hanover Township on October 19, 2018.   Mr. Gregory Stanton, PE, Vice President/GM of Helmet Operations at Gentex Corporation in Carbondale, Pennsylvania, elected to lead NEPIRC’s Board of Directors…

NEPIRC to Host Three Annual Manufacturing Day Events

National Manufacturing Day recognizes the impact of manufacturing upon the U.S. economy, highlights manufacturing’s value to communities across the nation and raises awareness of high-paying manufacturing careers. Manufacturing Day efforts provide business leaders, legislators, educators, media and the community at large with timely information about the innovations, technologies, career options and best practices that exist…

Efforts to Accelerate Manufacturer Growth and Job Creation Yield Dynamic Return to Treasury, Community and Families

An April, 2018 analysis by the W.E. Upjohn Institute concluded that the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program generates an economic and financial return of more than 14:1 on the $128 million annually invested by the federal government. The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program is an initiative of the…

NEPIRC’s Manager of Information Systems Receives Certified Ethical Hacker Certification

Randy Yash, Manager of Information Systems at the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC), recently attained Certified Ethical Hacker Certification (CEH). The prestigious CEH designation is awarded to individuals who have successfully completed an examination that demonstrates the ability to look for weaknesses and vulnerabilities in computer systems using the same knowledge and tools as…

Public Voting Begins for “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Northeast Campaign

Public voting for northeastern Pennsylvania’s inaugural “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) Student Video Contest will open Monday, March 19, 12:01 am and run until Wednesday, March 21, 11:59 pm at the new www.whatssocool.org website. Everyone throughout the northeastern Pennsylvania community is welcome and encouraged to vote! The video with the most votes will receive…

NEPIRC Highlights Manufacturing Job Creation and Growth with Release of 2017 Year In Review

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) released its 2017 Year in Review, a document that summarizes NEPIRC’s single-year accomplishments in four (4) key areas for local manufacturers: • Generating Client & Community Impact • Introducing Industry-Driven Services • Accelerating Regional Innovation & Industry 4.0 • Being a Champion of Manufacturing During 2017, NEPIRC client…

NEPIRC Brings “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” To Northeastern PA

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is proud to announce their inaugural year of a regional “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” video contest for middle school students. The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” initiative gives 8th graders from schools within Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Pike and Wayne counties the opportunity to connect directly with local…

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