Clients were asked to consider the entire set of services a center provided over the past two years and comment on how their business performance had been affected in the past 12 months. Other independent studies also have shown solid evidence of performance and economic benefits to NIST MEP clients. The NIST MEP is a nationwide network of resources assisting the nation's smaller manufacturers in becoming more competitive by addressing their most critical and often unique needs. At the heart of the MEP is a network of more than 400 manufacturing extension centers and field offices located throughout the country. Started in 1989, today's network delivers services to manufacturers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Centers represent a blend of federal, state and local resources.
Numbering more than 361,000, small and mid-sized manufacturers make vital contributions to the economy. About 99 percent of the nation's manufacturers are small to medium-sized, defined as having fewer than 500 employees. They account for over half the total value of U.S. production and employ nearly 12 million people. That accounts for more than two-thirds of all U.S. manufacturing employment.