Excellence in Enhancing Regional Competitiveness: Catalyst Connection - Yielding Positive Results in Southwestern Pennsylvania

by Steven Zylstra, President and CEO, Catalyst Connection

Business retention and expansion are the cornerstones of effective economic development. Yet in most communities, they are activities that typically get more lip service than results-oriented action; business attraction remains king.

Likewise is the importance of partnering. Everyone talks about it, but far fewer are committed to doing it effectively. Partnering to enhance the competitiveness of companies in southwestern Pennsylvania is precisely the mission of Pittsburgh-based Catalyst Connection, a Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center and National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership network affiliate.

Since its founding in 1988, more than 1,100 small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies across 13 counties in southwestern Pennsylvania have relied on Catalyst Connection to help grow their businesses and improve productivity. In 2005, Catalyst Connection helped 154 southwestern Pennsylvania manufacturers advance their companies through market growth, financial assistance, productivity improvement and workforce development services, contributing to more than $47 million in sales growth for those clients in one year alone.

While these companies represent a diverse array of industry sectors, each has found Catalyst Connection to be both a highly effective partner in supporting their companies’ growth and an exceptionally cost-effective resource. The average return on investment reported by Catalyst Connection’s clients was $600,000.

In addition to the direct business assistance that Catalyst Connection provides its clients, it also is committed to ensuring that southwestern Pennsylvania continues to develop, attract and retain a workforce that helps build strong industries. To that end, Catalyst Connection works in close collaboration with its affiliate, the Pittsburgh Technology Council, and is engaged in a wide variety of education initiatives in primary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, universities and technical schools throughout the region. Catalyst Connection also works closely with its clients to identify and deliver an array of training programs that help incumbent workers hone their skills and job performance.

Partnering for productivity and enhanced profitability comes in other forms as well. At the state and regional level, Catalyst Connection works with other nonprofit economic development groups to help them achieve their missions. Catalyst also collaborates with other Industrial Resource Centers throughout Pennsylvania on valuable research detailing marketplace needs, documenting and disseminating best practices, standardizing and developing new service offerings and leveraging the capabilities of each center.

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