Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests $1.4 Million to Support Advanced Manufacturing in Florida

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Monday, September 14, 2015

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.4 million grant to the Florida Institute of Technology to construct the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Design (CAMID). According to grantee estimates, this project will create nearly 600 manufacturing jobs at 14 different companies in the Melbourne, Florida region.

“The Obama Administration is committed to bolstering our nation’s manufacturing sector,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will help ensure that American manufacturing continues to thrive and create high-paying jobs for communities like Melbourne.”

EDA’s investment will help fund the construction of the building that will house CAMID, which will serve corporate partners of all sizes seeking cost-effective solutions to their manufacturing and engineering design challenges. According to the grantee, CAMID will support resiliency and global competitiveness efforts for a region prone to natural disasters. Firms that use space at CAMID will have files and other information saved in a cloud network to facilitate operational continuation in the face of disaster-related disruption.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The Economic Development Administration marks 50 years of public service, leading the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.