Butler County manufacturing businesses will be able to continue seeking technical assistance and leadership training from the state's regional Industrial Resource Center as the result of a $5 million grant.

Catalyst Connection of Pittsburgh, which serves as the IRC for Butler County and 11 other counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania, received a $1.06 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development to continue providing technical assistance to manufacturers.

Pennsylvania's seven IRCs serve as the state's lead economic development organizations, providing support to manufacturing businesses. IRCs specialize in providing technical assistance by helping companies improve bottom line strategies, productivity and waste elimination, and with topline growth by supporting strategic initiatives, new and improved products, market differentiation and workforce development strategies.

Catalyst Connection has been the IRC for the region since 1988 and the grant, announced Friday, is the same amount it has received for the past 10 years, said Petra Mitchell, president and CEO.

“We provide consulting, training and workforce development services for small and medium sized manufacturers in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” Mitchell said.

The private, not-for-profit organization assisted more than two dozen businesses in Butler County last year.

“Twenty-six companies were served by Catalyst Connection in 2018. I would expect the number to be similar in 2019,” Mitchell said.

Mecco, a Cranberry Township company that makes industrial lasers and pins for engraving, marking and tracing parts; Acuity Finishing Inc. of Cranberry Township, which provides binding, finishing and packaging services for printed materials; and Butler Technologies Inc. of Butler, which makes a variety of products ranging from small labels to complex electromagnetic equipment, are among Catalyst Connection's clients.

Nadine Tripodi, president and CEO of Butler Technologies, also serves on the organization's board of directors.

“We've used Catalyst Connection for automation evaluation and many things over at least the past 10 years,” Tripodi said.

She said Catalyst Connection has made tremendous strides in the past two years.

“They've come far from worrying about the next dollar to being aggressive in securing grants. They're one of the top IRCs. They're very organized and super aggressive to make sure this region gets all the benefits they possibly can for business improvement and other opportunities that are available to help us grow business in our region,” Tripodi said.