The Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance Council (www.chicagomanufacturing.org) has initiated a new

project, the Chicago Green Manufacturing Network, in partnership with the Cleveland-based Great

Lakes Wind Network (GLWN). GLWN, a project of WIRE-Net, boasts a successful two-year history of

working closely with international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the wind turbine

industry, and linking Ohio companies into the wind turbine supply chain.

The purpose of the Network is to link regional manufacturers with the huge emerging market in wind

energy as a means to strengthen local businesses, and in turn, expand employment in this high-tech

sector that offers family-sustaining career paths for residents. We hope to establish manufacturers as

leaders in the in movement for climate change. This initiative reflects the CMRC’s view that real

sustainability links environmental concerns with social and economic sustainability.

This multi-year project will include the following elements:

• 
  Four regional conferences for manufacturers to introduce them to the growing wind energy market and to familiarize them with its entry requirements;
• Assessment of local companies’ capacity to become competitive in the wind energy market;
•  Technical assistance to help interested companies meet capacity requirements; and
•  The facilitation of connections between local manufacturers and wind turbine OEMs.

We will continue to help this network of companies increase their competitive advantages by linking

them to professional development programs for incumbent workers; ensuring that new employees are

adequately trained; and assisting in other ways to expand their capacity. We see this as a tremendous

opportunity for companies, current employees, and prospective employees in a sector that will grow

exponentially in the years to come. We will hold the regional conferences and begin technical assistance

to area companies in the first year of this project.

We are working in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Community Development, which has

provided funding for the development stage of this effort. We have convened a group of local partners,

including community-based development and training corporations, including the Jane Addams

Resource Corporation; the Chicago Manufacturing Center; the Tooling and Manufacturing

Association, which represents some 1,200 metal working companies in the area; the Alliance for Illinois

Manufacturing; and the Environmental Law and Policy Center.