Cook County Bureau of Economic Development

With the onset of COVID-19, Cook County partnered with the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence
Center (IMEC) to conduct an historic outreach and census of suburban Cook County
manufacturers to ascertain the impact of the pandemic on their businesses. Over 1,000
manufacturers completed the survey prioritizing their urgent needs into ten assessment
categories essential for long term competitive success.
Manufacturing Reinvented utilizes technical assistance from the Illinois Manufacturing
Excellence Center to assist manufacturers in addressing these identified priorities and needs.
Eligible projects cover the following themes: market growth, workforce training, operational
improvements, and leadership as these align with the survey priority results. These investments
made by manufacturers into their businesses are reimbursed through Cook County American
Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
Specifically, the program is designed to be highly customized to address company needs
regardless of size. This is essential particularly for the very small manufacturers, defined as less
than 20 employees. This program serves as an ongoing method of gaining market insights from
county manufacturers to further help Cook County adapt and plan for the ever-changing needs
of the manufacturing sector and highlights manufacturing as a critical component to the local
economy.