Total Impact for Manufacturing

In the past four quarters (2019Q1−2019Q4), manufacturing clients of IES or IES’ NCMEP affiliates returned surveys to NIST’s third-party survey company, reporting the following results they attributed to work done by NCMEP affiliates: $1.19B in economic impact; 3,753 jobs created; 4,476 jobs retained; $209M retained sales; $219M increased sales and $14M cost savings.

We continued to diligently collect data about our clients’ needs and restructured the use of our resources so we could develop solutions to meet those needs more efficiently and effectively.

Here are some of the accomplished highlights:

• Hosted the fifth mfgCON manufacturing conference with Business North Carolina in Winston Salem, North Carolina
• Rebranded mfgNC Connections to MNC Network and hosted two in-person program events: Information Security and Disaster Preparedness
• Developed an MNC Network webinar series that will launch in the 2020-2021 year as a response to COVID-19 and being unable to meet in person
• Dispatched ambassadors to events across the state in honor of National Manufacturing Day
• Updated marketing materials for the  North Carolina Awards for Excellence (NCAfE) program
• Grew federal grant awards through continued recognition of team’s broad capabilities
• Expanded industry training programs through better leverage of college expertise and technology
• Made our professional learning solutions more accessible with the introduction of webinars and online workshops
• Enhanced awareness of Baldrige Examiner classes
• Launched a new course evaluation process in our CRM (Salesforce) that includes a new client case model to elevate client feedback into an action team for resolving opportunities for improvement.
• Launched a successful “Clocking In” podcast series, driving 12 new podcasts out the second Tuesday of each month
• Redesigned and relaunched a new IES staff portal
• Refined video production capabilities, delivering multiple client reference videos. 
• Delivered 215,436 campaign/promotion emails with an average 39.15% open rate + 19.6% click rate
• Attracted 144,735K users to the IES website of which approximately 142K were new users. These users engaged in 184,710K sessions for an average time per session of 1.64 minutes and 303,540 page views. 118,871 users found us through organic search, 20,270 found us directly and 6,751 came through referral traffic.
• Manufactured in North Carolina (MNC), our on-line supply chain database, attracted 168,000 visitors, 498,000 page views and 2750 inquiries to companies
• Improved our understanding of the DoD supply chain in North Carolina and its impact to the state
• Developed new Leadership and Organizational Development and NCDIDI portals on the IES website

But even with our long list of accomplishments, we’re not done!

In the coming 2020-2021 year, we’ll continue to explore alternate avenues of communication with our clients, including virtual contact and informal learning groups. We’ll pursue grant opportunities that align with the College of Engineering and North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership priorities.

And, as always, we’ll listen and learn from you, to discover how we can best work together to make North Carolina industry even stronger and more prosperous.