ABOUT US
The history of the alliance goes back to 2006 when the South Sound Manufacturers’ Alliance (SSMA) was formed in Thurston County. At that time, the Thurston County Economic Development Council and several manufacturers in the region saw a need to band together for a presence. As is true today, the original group included the leadership of Pac Mountain Workforce Development Council (WDC) and South Sound Community College.
Then, in 2007, Pac Mountain WDC and the Thurston EDC applied for and was granted a WIRED* (Workforce Innovation through Regional Economic Development) grant and the NWMA was formed to provide regional support to manufacturers in the five-county region of Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific and Thurston counties.
The primary goals that were established remain those of our Alliance today, which are to:
- Provide advocacy and raise the awareness of impacts that legislative issues have on manufacturers at the local, regional and statewide levels.
- Pursue resources that can be utilized to attract and retain high quality employees and training options.
- Create resource sharing options for manufacturers.
- Promote and publicize the positive impact that the manufacturing sector has on the economy.
- Work to ensure that critical infrastructure is in place to help meet the needs of manufacturers.
*This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded under Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.
