SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MAY 4, 2023 – Today, CONNEX™ Marketplace announced the release of Version 2.0 of its supply chain platform which will increase collaboration between the defense industrial base and research organizations and workforce within the U.S. supply chain. This new version was developed as part of the Utah Defense Manufacturing Community (UDMC) program, which is funded by the Office of Local Defense Community Collaboration’s (OLDCC) Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP) and is a major milestone towards its mission to create an ecosystem where the defense manufacturing community can thrive.

The Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program launched in 2020 when the Department of Defense (DoD) officially designated Utah as the first cohort of Defense Manufacturing Communities. Along with the designation came DoD program funds to enable integration and expansion of successful defense manufacturing support programs and introduction of new offerings to support, grow and strengthen Utah’s defense manufacturing industry and industrial base. The UDMC is led by the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and managed by the Utah Advanced Materials & Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI).

As part of the UDMC program, UAMMI committed to build and implement new supply chain tools to bridge the gap between education, workforce, and research needs. The CONNEX Marketplace Version 2.0 is a fulfillment of that pledge and perfectly achieves that goal.

“We are thrilled to be working with UDMC and supporting their goals through this new version of CONNEX Marketplace,” said Alan Davis, CEO of CONNEX Marketplace by i5 Services.  Our platform is already the best tool out there to connect the U.S. supply chain and bring more manufacturing opportunities to U.S. manufacturers. With the release of Version 2.0, we are adding additional features that will further support the goals of UDMC and bridge the gap between education, workforce and R&D.”

The following new features are now available in CONNEX Marketplace:

• Workforce – Provides collaboration of industry with academia on skills needed now and in the future. This includes features to match academia with industry for internships and apprenticeships and search tools for manufacturers and workforce organizations.
• Research – Enables an organizational and researcher view of the research community for collaboration on research projects to support the Department of Defense. Also includes a searchable tool by field of research, interests and expertise.

“CONNEX started in Utah in 2015 and has become the nation’s premier tool for improving the manufacturing supply chain, including for the Department of Defense,” explained UAMMI President, Dr. Tulinda Larsen. “The new functionalities support workforce and research strengthens the industrial base.”

The updated version of CONNEX Marketplace is available to all users.  Utah manufacturers can sign up for the platform free of charge at: https://utah-mep.org/connex-utah/

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About CONNEX Marketplace by i5 Services, LLC

CONNEX Marketplace is an online manufacturing platform that connects all U.S. manufacturers & suppliers into a single, accurate, searchable supply-chain solution! It’s not just another broker or bid-board platform, but a revolutionary new way for U.S. manufacturers & suppliers to find, be found, connect and do business directly with each other.

Through CONNEX, manufacturers, suppliers and buyers can quickly post and respond to needs, visualize supply chain risk, search for qualified suppliers, discover new business opportunities and directly connect with each other to create valuable business relationships. It is THE solution for the U.S. manufacturing supply chain and is currently being used in hundreds of locations across the country to help strengthen and grow America’s manufacturing industry. For more information, visit: www.ConnexMarketplace.com

About the Utah Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI)

The Utah Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Initiative (UAMMI) is a public-private-partnership, funded by federal and state grants to bring together public, private, community, industry and education partners to assure growth and sustainability of Utah’s advanced material and advanced manufacturing industry. For more information, visit: www.uammi.org

Media Contact:
KC Sanders
801-603-5252
KCSanders@UAMMI.org