MidAtlantic Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
Trade Adjustment Assistance Overview
MidAtlantic businesses struggling to compete with imported products and services have a resource at their fingertips that can help them regain their competitive advantage: the MidAtlantic Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (MATAAC) in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania funds assistance for import-impacted companies in the states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia through its grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce. MATAAC’s goal is to help you increase sales and profitability.
Companies that have experienced recent declines in sales and employment due, at least in part, to increasing imports of competitive products, are eligible for participation in the program, in which the Federal Government pays up to 50% of the cost of consulting services designed to help the firm improve its competitive position. There are eleven Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers serving various regions of the country.
Typical projects funded by MATAAC include Market Studies, Export Assistance, Lean Manufacturing, ISO-9000 Certification, Plant Engineering Improvements, Human Resources, Work Incentive Plans, Marketing Systems, Cost Systems, Environmental Management, the development of management information systems, productivity improvements programs and general financial and management consulting services.
The impact of import competition has been felt by many U.S. companies. The mounting Trade Deficit clearly makes visible the erosion of our competitive base. If your company has lost customers to foreign importers, MATAAC’s investment with you in cost-effective strategies can produce measurable turnaround results. Since certification as trade-impacted, our clients have demonstrated aggregate revenue growth exceeding 30%, with proportionate improvement in profitability.
There is no cost to apply for the program and MATAAC handles all associated paperwork. Companies interested in obtaining more information about Trade Adjustment Assistance may contact Anthony Newberry, Project Manager, 610-825-7819, anewberry@mataac.org, www.mataac.org.