A strong manufacturing base is important to the long-term health of the U.S. economy, but it also turned out to be important to recovery in the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) has built a strong network of centers that support manufacturing across the United States. When Hurricane Katrina struck, this network of manufacturers from across the country was called into action to help track and coordinate the tremendous outpouring of support to those affected by the disaster.

For instance, the MEP affiliate in Colorado (now known as Manufacturer’s Edge) collected food from manufacturers in the state and worked with Second Harvest to transport it to Louisiana shelters. MEP centers in Oklahoma, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska offered everything from food and clothing to engineering services.

Clients of the New York MEP and the MEP in Minnesota (now known as Enterprise Minnesota), provided food, clothing and even temporary housing. For longer term recovery, they offered building materials, communications equipment, office products, and more.

After immediate needs were met, NIST MEP was able to distribute $4.5 million to its centers in the affected states to help manufacturers restore operations to pre-hurricane levels, and even improve and expand them.

One company that benefited was VT Halter Marine, a manufacturer of cargo and military ocean-going ships in Moss Point, Miss. With so many people leaving the area after the hurricane, the company had a hard time finding qualified welders. To help, the MEP affiliate in Mississippi (now known as Innovate Mississippi) worked with a local community college to develop a technical program to educate and train potential employees. Thanks to the new pool of talent, the company was able to hire highly skilled welders and pursue new shipbuilding contracts, which increased sales by $367 million and created 275 new jobs.

Another company, Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights of New Orleans, had been manufacturing custom, hand-made light fixtures since 1945. In the flooding caused by the hurricane, the company lost 2,000 fixtures that were ready for delivery, plus all of its packaging materials. Some key staff were temporarily or permanently displaced, leaving the company shorthanded. Sales and revenues were lost.

The Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana (MEPoL) helped Bevolo find a path to recovery through increased efficiency, reduced waste, and better staff training. The improvements helped the company complete all past orders, reduce lead time by 50 percent, and reduce returned merchandise by 50 percent.

These are just a few of the ways that NIST MEP, its centers and their clients were able to help the Gulf Coast recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

Ten years later, the MEP network is stronger than ever. These local extension centers and the small and medium-size manufacturers they serve are the backbone of the U.S. economy.

With the lessons learned from Katrina and increased resilience planning, we can help ensure that the next communities and companies affected by disaster can bounce back faster and with less economic and human impact.