SPIR Program Created Or Retained More Than 1,800 Manufacturing Jobs In WNY Last Year

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Western New York retained more than 1,000 manufacturing jobs and created more than 800 new ones during the 1996-97 fiscal year as a result of efforts by the local arm of the Strategic Partnership for Industrial Resurgence (SPIR) program, based in the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Recently renewed with up to $210,000 in matching funds for the Western New York area in the current fiscal year under the New York State budget, the local arm of SPIR is part of a statewide effort to help create and retain manufacturing jobs at small to medium-sized companies.

Established in 1994 by the State of New York, SPIR funding is available to qualifying manufacturing companies to add research-and-development support and technical expertise, including new-product development, redesign or enhancement of products and process improvement.

"The SPIR program is an example of the university's commitment to economic development in Western New York," said Mark Karwan, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "Now in its fourth year, SPIR can be viewed as an important item in Western New York's portfolio for regional development."

In the four years of its existence, SPIR has allocated more than $750,000 in state matching money to Western New York firms.

SPIR projects recently awarded to Western New York manufacturing firms received from $5,000 to $50,000 in matching SPIR funds and took from three to 18 months to complete. The projects included:

• Finite element analysis and testing for improving product design.

Through the UB program and similar ones at the SUNY university centers at Binghamton and Stony Brook and SUNY College at New Paltz, SPIR aims to bolster the state economy by promoting the transfer of knowledge from university to industry and providing consultation, research facilities and resources for industrial restructuring.

SPIR grants will cover up to 50 percent of a project's cost for hiring faculty, students and other technically trained personnel and fees for using sophisticated research facilities, such as those available at UB.

Projects are evaluated on technical merit and the ability to create or retain manufacturing jobs in Western New York. Companies are required to quantify the number of manufacturing jobs that will be retained and/or created if a project is funded.

Certain costs, such as capital-equipment expenses and materials, may not be funded under SPIR.

Applications from Western New York companies are accepted on an ongoing basis by The Center for Industrial Effectiveness (TCIE), a program of the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences that is affiliated with the UB School of Management and assists local industry in efforts to improve competitiveness and productivity.

TCIE's mission is to motivate and assist industry in developing human resources, introducing and utilizing new technologies, improving business practices and modernizing products, processes and facilities.

Companies interested in applying for the SPIR program or other services that TCIE provides should contact Tim Mattulke, SPIR project manager, at 636-2568.