Polymer Institute-MEP.ms partnership touts results

HATTIESBURG and JACKSON — According to the Mississippi Polymer Institute and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi (MEP.ms), their new partnership is already paying dividends for manufacturing companies in this state.

MEP.ms announced recently that during the fourth quarter of 2010 and the first quarter of 2011, the Mississippi Polymer Institute provided technical assistance to five Mississippi-based manufacturing companies yielding $1.6 million in direct financial impact.

Additionally, 10 new jobs were created as a result of the successful completion of these projects.

“We are very happy that the Mississippi Polymer Institute has joined the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi as the MEP.ms center at USM-MPI,” said Dr. Jay Tice, director of MEP.ms. “We congratulate them for achieving this tremendous impact to Mississippi manufacturers through the great work MPI does.”

The Mississippi Polymer Institute serves as the industrial outreach entity for the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Polymers and High Performance Materials.