# The Quiet Cut That's Loudly Threatening Small Manufacturing

- Show: [Lights Out](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out)
- Published: 2025-04-19
- Length: 35m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing
- Listen: https://8819970d-2c51-481c-b08a-4d2a806885b2.libsyn.com/the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing

## Summary

Paul, Nick, Mike, Jim, and Megan discuss the imminent defunding of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) network by NIST, a public-private partnership that supports small manufacturers. The guests share specific success stories, such as Mike’s shop gaining $1 million in revenue through automation analysis and Nick’s company securing a grant for an AR-based digital configurator. They urge listeners to contact their congressional representatives and share their own MEP impact stories to prevent the loss of this critical resource for the U.S. manufacturing base.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=0) Introduction: The MEP Crisis
- [3:51](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=231) MEP Funding Cuts and Timeline
- [9:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=555) Mike’s Shop: Automation and Revenue Impact
- [12:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=722) Nick’s Shop: AR Grant and Digital Configurators
- [15:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=906) Defense Industrial Base and Workforce Development
- [21:15](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=1275) Call to Action: Contacting Congress and Sharing Stories
- [24:28](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing#t=1468) Community Impact and Next Steps

## Topics

- [Policy, trade & tariffs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/policy-trade-and-tariffs)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Manufacturing Extension Partnership (other)
- NIST (other)
- Impact Washington (other)
- Hill (company)
- Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance (other)
- Headache (company)
- IMAC (other)
- Flex Line Automation (company)
- VideoAsk (tool)
- AS 9100 (other)
- CMMC (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Defunding of the MEPs and How YOU Can Help Stop It: A Special Episode](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-04-29-defunding-of-the-meps-and-how-you-can-help-stop-it-a-special-episode) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [BONUS: MEPs are at Risk of Losing Funding and Need Your Help](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-21-bonus-meps-are-at-risk-of-losing-funding-and-need-your-help) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [MEP Impact: Empowering Small Manufacturers with Training, Partnerships and Advocacy w/ Pete Connolly](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2025-09-02-mep-impact-empowering-small-manufacturers-with-training-partnerships-and-advocac) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Breaking Out of the Manufacturing Echo Chamber](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-09-20-breaking-out-of-the-manufacturing-echo-chamber) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [200: Manufacturing Happy Hour: Then & Now, An Interview with Chris Luecke Hosted by Meaghan Ziemba, LIVE from Broken Bat Brewery in Milwaukee, WI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-08-27-200-manufacturing-happy-hour-then-now-an-interview-with-chris-luecke-hosted-by-m) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2025-04-19-the-quiet-cut-thats-loudly-threatening-small-manufacturing. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Lights Out.