Ohio manufacturers are continuing to press state lawmakers to restore funding for the state’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network, saying recent layoffs and office closures are already weakening support for small and mid-sized companies.

Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) President Ryan Augsburger told FreshWater Cleveland that MEP centers such as MAGNET are critical to helping manufacturers adopt advanced technologies and boost productivity.

“Abrupt funding cuts put jobs, competitiveness and local supply chains at risk,” Augsburger said. “Like Ohio’s agricultural extension network, MEPs provide trusted, on-the-ground expertise where it matters most.”

Augsburger said MEPs help position Ohio to reshore more production by connecting companies with innovation and process improvements they could not develop on their own, a role that is especially important for smaller manufacturers without large engineering teams.

Officials have tied the funding suspension to financial reporting concerns, though industry leaders say they were not given an opportunity to resolve them. Augsburger said manufacturers should document lost projects and delayed investments, warning that every month the system sits idle makes it harder for Ohio to compete for new production and jobs. 1/28/2026