The Great Lakes Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (GLTAAC) assists small distressed manufacturers in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana via the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program (TAAF). GLTAAC has been part of the institute (or its predecessors) since the Center’s founding in 1983.

TAAF is a national program funded by the Economic Development Administration (EDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce. It provides cost-shared management and technical assistance to firms that have been directly hurt by imports in order to improve their global competitiveness and long term viability.

Through the program, GLTAAC helps trade-injured firms assess and analyze their current business situation; it works with them to develop a realistic strategy and actionable plan for recovery; and then GLTAAC facilitates implementation of the plan by paying for part of the cost (typically 50%) of hiring outside expertise (e.g. consultants, engineers, trainers) to complete the specific projects identified in it. Client engagements are long and deep. GLTAAC works with most firms for 4-6 years; and most clients companies complete 3-6 major business improvement projects during their time in the program.

Key Stats

• 105 client companies assisted since 1/1/2012. Average size = 106 employees, $19 million in sales; 63 different industries; located in 33 different Congressional Districts.
• 306 business improvement projects completed at these firms since 1/1/2012, through which over 42,000 hours of customized technical assistance was provided.
• 96% 5-year client survival rate (96% of all firms assisted since 1/1/2012 are still in business).
• 81% of established clients and recent program grads report that they are more competitive now than they were before working with GLTAAC. *
• 68% of established clients and recent program grads have grown sales since entering the TAAF program (average increase = 27%). *
• 82% generated a profit from operations in 2016 (just 52% did before starting the TAAF program). *
• These clients have added 1,950 jobs in sum since starting the program.*
• GLTAAC received an average 8.9 / 10 overall satisfaction rating from its clients in 2016.

* Information from annual client survey; data through CY2016.

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