Skip to content
HomeAbout ACEEENetworksAMMEX

Alliance for Materials Manufacturing Excellence

 

The Alliance for Materials Manufacturing Excellence (AMMEX) consists of companies and organizations in the materials manufacturing sector-aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metal casting, and steel-along with several non-profit stakeholders.

 
AMMEX Fact Sheet

Recent AMMEX Activity:

 

Response to the FY2013 Budget Request and Recent Changes at the Advanced Manufacturing Office 

The Administration’s FY2013 budget request seeks $290 million for DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO). This amount, while significantly higher than recent appropriations, reflects the President’s commitment to a robust and competitive manufacturing sector as stated in the State of the Union. However, with the increased budget comes a significant restructuring of the program and some uncertainty of its direction. This is causing some concern with stakeholders engaged with AMO programs and other industrial energy efficiency supporters.

AMMEX applauds the Administration’s support for DOE and AMO and shares its goals for increased energy efficiency and enhanced competitiveness in the U.S. manufacturing sector. AMMEX provides the following suggestions for bolstering AMO activities in support of these goals. This request reflects both the focus the President has placed on manufacturing as well as recent Congressional intent on the importance of the individual programs in the Advanced Manufacturing Office:

  • A strong AMO budget allocation of between $250 and $300 million for FY2013;
  • At least 25% of the overall AMO budget should be targeted to cost-share R&D with energy-intensive industrial sectors, such as those partnered with under the Industries of the Future (IOF) program;
  • At least 15% of the overall AMO budget should be targeted to combined heat and power (CHP) research and deployment.
  • At least 25% of the overall AMO budget should be targeted to technology deployment activities that support today’s industry implementing newly commercialized energy efficiency technologies and energy management best practices, including between $6 and $10 million for the Industrial Assessment Center (IAC) program;
  • Transparency of funding allocations within the AMO program’s FY2013 budget.

 

History of Funding for DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office (formerly Industrial Technologies Program)

The following graph displays AMO/ITP's budget since 1998, including funding for combined heat and power, deployment and IACs, cross-cutting R&D, and Industries of the Future R&D. The 2012 and 2013 budgets substantially reorganize the program.

DOE AMO Budget History

 

Previous ITP Budget Responses:

FY2012 ITP Budget Memo

FY2011 ITP Budget Memo

FY2010 ITP Budget Memo

 

 

Support of Senate Bill 661, Restoring America's Manufacturing Leadership Through Energy Efficiency Act of 2009

AMMEX has played an active role in supporting S. 661, which, if passed by the Senate, would establish:

  • DOE grants to lenders to create regional revolving loan programs for manufacturers
  • Partnerships between ITP and other applied technology programs to engage in early stage manufacturing technology development
  • DOE assessments of the potential of under-implemented technologies
  • Roadmaps to plan out how to achieve decreased intensity
  • Expanded IACs to reach more small- and medium-sized manufacturers and train industrial engineers
  • Industrial Innovation Grants
  • Joint industry-government manufacturing partnerships

The full text of S. 661 can be found here.

AMMEX strongly supports the passage of this bill, and has held a briefing urging the full allocation of authorized funds laid out in the legislative lanugage. View AMMEX's S. 661 appropriations request here.

 

Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

On September 25, 2007, Larry Kavanagh of the American Iron and Steel Institute testified on behalf of AMMEX to the House Science and Technology Committee's Energy and Environment Subcommittee. In his testimony, Mr. Kavanagh advocated for increased funding of ITP as a component of EISA, which was passed in December 2007. His full written testimony can be viewed here.

 

Addressing the myth of "corporate welfare" regarding ITP partnerships

In 2005, AMMEX published a white paper addressing the allegations that ITP was effectively engaging in "corporate welfare." The key point of the document was that companies put money into the research just like DOE. With its public-private partnerships, ITP initiatives include industrial firms as co-investors in projects the government has deemed appropriate for federal funding. Firms enjoy benefits at the same time DOE does—when a successful technology is deployed. The full text of the document can be viewed here.

 

 

 

↑ Top of Page