MEP's Role
In 2017, Jireh Metal became a member of the Manufacturers Council organized by The Right Place and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center – West (The Center- West), part of the MEP National Network™. Through opportunities created by The Right Place to help grow, educate and improve west Michigan businesses, Jireh Metal was introduced to The Center- West. Jireh also became involved with the Supply Chain Management Council and Plant Manager Network, which allowed them to develop relationships with other manufacturers to share best practices, communicate and collaborate on business and industry challenges, and support each other, especially during the statewide shutdown.
To assist them in navigating the new COVID-19 manufacturing landscape, The Center-West team introduced Jireh to the PIVOT 2020 Toolkit. With this toolkit, Jireh was able to outline their industry’s challenges and develop scenarios which directly impacted how they were able to respond to actual situations as they became reality.
Jireh Metals’ networking has positioned them to face the challenges brought on by COVID-19. They have been able to add as well as retain employees, while continuing to invest in workforce practices that contribute to their ongoing industry success. Additionally, they have been introduced to new industry markets.