Plymouth, MI, January 28, 2022 – Today, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) announced the debut of CONNEX™ Michigan, a new program designed to strengthen the local and domestic manufacturing supply chain.

Built upon the CONNEX™ Marketplace platform by i5 Services, CONNEX™ Michigan is a powerful online manufacturer database and connectivity platform provided as a no-cost resource for Michigan manufacturers. It’s designed to let manufacturers connect with each other, find local and domestic suppliers, explore production capabilities, and manage their supply chain. The system also has tools to help manufacturers identify single supplier risks and find opportunities for diversification in their supply chain.

“The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center is a part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership program, and our mission is to assist Michigan manufacturers to work smarter, to compete and to prosper. Being able to provide our state’s manufacturers with an online platform that can alleviate their supply chain strains is something The Center is extremely proud of and excited about,” said Mike Coast, President of The Center.

Michigan is the sixth state to roll out the CONNEX™ platform, joining Missouri, Kansas, Florida, Oklahoma and Utah. In each state, the platform is managed by an MEP center to provide a coordinated approach to outreach and direction for users.

“We are thrilled to have Michigan join the CONNEX™ Marketplace platform,” said Alan Davis, President and CEO of i5 Services.  “Michigan has caught the vision of coming together as a country and to solve our manufacturing issues with a centralized solution that benefits the entire supply chain. We believe that CONNEX™ is the U.S. manufacturing solution and we are certain that Michigan manufacturers, suppliers and buyers will see a tremendous benefit from using this platform.”

The rollout also is supported by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), which uses The Center for supplier scouting and matchmaking requests as part of its Pure Michigan Business Connect (PMBC) program. CONNEX™ Michigan will enable The Center to more efficiently fulfill these requests.

Coast further described the CONNEX™ Michigan system as a powerful, intuitive tool for everyone in the manufacturing community. “This online database combines all Michigan manufacturers into a single platform where they can tag themselves with hundreds of unique searchable categorizations, which enables both manufacturers and material suppliers to quickly find and connect with each other based on their exact needs. It’s an opportunity that manufacturers can’t afford to miss. Each manufacturer is invited to set up their free profile and share as much information as they would like,” Coast said.

Interested manufacturers can find more information and request an account by visiting:  https://www.the-center.org/CONNEX or www.ConnexMarketplace.com

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About the Michigan Manufacturing technology Center
Since 1991, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center has assisted Michigan’s small and medium-sized businesses to successfully compete and grow. Through personalized services designed to meet the needs of clients, we develop more effective business leaders, drive product and process innovation, promote company-wide operational excellence and foster creative strategies for business growth and greater profitability. As a NIST MEP approved center, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center is the official representative of the MEP National Network™ in Michigan. The MEP National Network™ is a unique public-private partnership that delivers comprehensive, proven solutions to U.S. manufacturers, fueling growth and advancing U.S. manufacturing. Learn more at www.the-center.org.

About CONNEX Marketplace by i5 Services
Founded in 2009, i5 Services develops solutions to significantly improve complex technical processes among various industries. Our current focus is to connect the U.S. and global manufacturing supply chain into a single platform, which will solve many of the world’s supply chain issues. Called CONNEX Marketplace, this Industry-4.0 platform connects manufacturers and suppliers into an accurate, searchable supply-chain database allowing primes, OEM’s and governments to post their needs and quickly find suppliers based on deep data such as equipment, certifications, capabilities and more. For more information, visit: www.ConnexMarketplace.com

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