SITE Next Gen: A Regional Manufacturing Cluster for North Carolina's Piedmont Triad
Coalition Lead Applicant: Piedmont Triad Regional Council
Project Title: SITE Next-Gen: A Piedmont Triad Cluster Strategy
Region (applicant-defined): Piedmont Triad region in central North Carolina
Cluster Sector(s): Advanced Manufacturing
Coalition Overarching Narrative (applicant submitted) (PDF)
Project Description:
The coalition, led by the Piedmont Triad Regional Council in Central North Carolina, seeks to strengthen the region's manufacturing industry through seven proposed interconnected projects that focus on prototyping, simulation, initial product development, and testing for Next Generation manufacturing. If provided an implementation grant, the projects aim to support established industries, such as furniture manufacturing; emerging industries, such as aviation; cutting-edge subsectors, such as regenerative medicine; and small-scale manufacturing by entrepreneurs and small businesses. The region is home to a large number of underrepresented populations including rural communities, and the coalition proposes to spark equitable innovation in the region to increase the number of high-paying manufacturing jobs across all demographics and geographies.