POMEROY — The Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth (APEG) of Nelsonville is partnering with Ohio Development Services Agency to rollout Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) services for an eight-county area in southeastern Ohio which includes Meigs County.

To ensure Ohio’s industrial base prospers in the 21^st Century global economy, the Ohio MEP and APEG are coordinating their strategies with centers of expertise throughout the region. As one of three unique satellite partners, the Innovation Center at Ohio University will support the total regional outreach effort by providing products, services, and assistance vital to the health of manufacturing businesses with fewer than 50 employees located in Perry, Morgan, Noble, Monroe, Hocking, Athens, Washington and Meigs counties.

It was announced that Jesus Pagan, Field Engineer, will be the point of contact for this outreach at the Innovation Center.

Additional partnerships with the Muskingum County Business Incubator in Zanesville, and the Manufacturing and Technology Small Business Development Center at the Ohio State University South Center in Piketon, will provide similar services to manufacturers with fewer than 50 employees in the remaining counties in the region. APEG will directly deliver and promote MEP services to manufacturers with 50 or more employees throughout the entire 28 county region while coordinating the service delivery of the satellite partners. Dorinda Byers, MEP Coordinator and Project Manager, will serve as the point of contact for manufacturers with 50 or more employees throughout the region.

By working with these partners, APEG is best able to provide a highly focused and detail-oriented approach to each individual company’s specific challenges and opportunities. Through MEP, local manufacturers gain access to a nationwide network which provides world-class technical assistance that can help with every aspect of their operations. The development of regional and statewide clusters of innovation, that include businesses of all sizes, is vital to sustaining Ohio’s global competitive advantages for product development, company growth, manufacturing competitiveness, and job creation.

“Southeast Ohio has a rich and renowned history of high-level manufacturing. Our goal for MEP in the region is to strengthen our manufacturing companies and promote their growth and competitiveness in the global marketplace.” said John Molinaro, president and CEO of APEG. “Our region is arriving at a crucial moment where changes in global trade patterns give us a one-time opportunity to revitalize manufacturing and provide an economic boost that will help sustain and improve our economy for decades to come.”

In addition to partnering with regional business incubators, APEG has placed JobsOhio Program Managers strategically around the region to support companies and community economic development efforts. APEG staff will be working closely with business and community leaders to build sustainable, widely-shared prosperity.