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New partnership may spur local manufacturer development

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Gil Mathew

This story was originally published in The Union on January 9th, 2020 by Sam Corey

Manufacturing doesn’t always get much attention in Nevada County, but the Nevada County Economic Resource Council wants to change that.

Last month Gil Mathew, director of Community Outreach for the Nevada County Economic Resource Council, established a partnership with the California Manufacturing Technology Consulting firm to help develop and facilitate manufacturing business in Nevada County.

Mathew has been tasked with connecting local manufacturers to the southern California consulting firm, which can help Nevada County businesses navigate anything from digital marketing, to finance concerns, to issues in accounting and safety regulations.

California Manufacturing Technology President and CEO Jim Watson said he wants his business to aid small businesses and manufacturers compete at both national and international levels.

The program won’t cost local businesses anything, as the California Manufacturing Technology Consulting firm is conducting such work with both state funding and a federal grant tied to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“This value could easily be (worth) thousands and thousands of dollars,” said Mathew.

Mathew said he hopes to connect a minimum of 15 companies with the technology consulting firm.

The director of community outreach has already begun meeting with local manufacturers that may need assistance from the southern California company.

One of those companies, he said, includes a teleprompter business that has sold its product to the White House.

Watson said he’s expand his company’s partnerships in rural areas, where idiosyncratic challenges — including difficulty accessing broadband and other technologies, and a smaller pool of employees to choose from — often crop up.

Watson doesn’t yet know how much time his company will be investing in Nevada County manufacturers, noting that it could range from 10 to 40 hours.

“Not every project is the same design,” said Watson.

“Each company is unique, “ he said, “each company has different barriers.”

Watson said his consulting company needs local agencies to connect it to manufacturers that are sometimes difficult to find.

“It’s not as dense as other areas, so we need partnerships with the (Economic Resource Council),” he said.

Mathew appeared equally excited about the ongoing relationship, which contractually ends Sept. 30.

“They need us,” he said. “And we need them.”

KNOW MORE

Contact Gil Mathew at 530-263-0730 to connect with the California Manufacturing Technology Consulting

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