ERIE — The Northwest Industrial Resource Center 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 months of 2020 as results of their recent IRC engagements.

Those companies also invested $57.4 million in expansion, capital improvements and technology initiatives over the same period while avoiding 2,550 layoffs and adding 439 jobs to their rosters.The results were gathered by an independent market research firm during the months of July and August and reviewed by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, NWIRC and its IRC counterparts across Pennsylvania continuously worked with small and mid-sized manufacturers to address their sales, operations, workforce, technology, supply chain and workplace safety challenges. Services to manufacturers were provided through a blend of on- site and remote training and consulting platforms. In addition to working directly with manufacturers, NWIRC and the IRCs played a key role in developing and launching the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Manufacturer Call to Action Portal, which accelerated manufacturer entry into critical medical device and consumable safety item supply chains, and the Commonwealth’s B2B PPE Interchange Directory, which connected manufacturers to providers of masks, face shields, hand sanitizer, disinfectants and similar items.

“The resurgence and growth of the manufacturing sector, particularly small and medium-sized manufacturing companies, is critical to the economic recovery in small communities, towns, and cities across the Commonwealth,” said Robert Zaruta, NWIRC’s president & CEO. “We are pleased to see the significant impact and outcomes that client companies and their employees continue to realize from engaging with the IRCs, especially through these very challenging times. A resounding testament to the importance of the IRC program and the effectiveness of this unique public-private partnership,” he added.

NWIRC and its fellow IRCs are funded in part by Manufacturing PA, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development.