Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 1 of The Illinois Commitment
Southwestern Illinois Advanced Manufacturing Center (SIAM)
Lewis & Clark Community College
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice? The forces of globalization continue to put pressure on
Illinois to compete for manufacturing and other business centers and the employment opportunities they bring to the state.
In the region and in the state in general, there is a real opportunity to attract enterprises and their suppliers in high potential
manufacturing sectors such as defense and bio-processing. Illinois needs to show that it has the research talent and
employee resources to attract more businesses to the state and to make the ones that are here more productive and
competitive. Many entrepreneurs and small businesses lack the money and/or skills to prototype their ideas or build a
viable business plan. The state is racked by unemployment or low paying jobs, and the pressure to make our students more
competitive and skilled is increasing.
Description of the effective practice: The Southwestern Illinois Advanced Manufacturing Center (SIAM) is a partnership
of Lewis and Clark Community College (LCCC) and the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (SIUE) School of
Engineering. SIAM’s mission is three fold: to develop high-tech prototype manufacturing equipment for use in today’s
advanced manufacturing industries, to serve as a “think tank” and catalyst for the development of new ideas and inventions
to advance manufacturing in the region, and to provide a center to train students for well paying jobs and a promising
future. Specifically, through the strategic partnership and through affiliates and extended partners (e.g., Southwestern
Illinois Entrepreneurship Center, Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center, Ethanol Research Center, etc.), SIAM provides
technical (e.g., advanced prototyping, proof of concept) and business development services to enterprises and
entrepreneurs. It also conducts traditional instruction, and corporate workforce training. Through SIAM, SIUE and LCCC
students have the opportunity to engage in research projects that are relevant to their course of study and today’s world.
How does this practice achieve sustainability? SIAM’s recently completed strategic plan defines strategic goals that are
designed to maintain sustainability. These goals include strengthening of the financial base to sustain ongoing operations
and fund new projects. They also seek to promote economic development in the state through a seamless network of
regional entities that share resources, capitalize on each other’s distinctive competencies, and work to reduce internal
overlap and competition. SIAM is also committed to expanding the number and variety of educational programs that are
closely integrated with the research mission and promote economic development through technical and other job-related
training. Currently, SIAM’s operations are supported through contributions from the two partners, funding from a U.S.
Department of Commerce grant (Economic Development Administration), and fees from business and industry clients.
SIAM currently has facilities at the SIUE School of Engineering and Lewis and Clark’s main campus. The Center will
move permanently to the N.O. Nelson location in fall 2007. This campus is itself a statement of SIAM’s sustainability, with
offices, classrooms, and labs equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation. SIAM also enjoys the close support of the
state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) as well as local and regional economic development
entities.
What are the results/measurable outcomes? SIAM has assisted manufacturers and entrepreneurs on a number of fronts.
Since SIAM’s inception in early 2005, it is estimated that 13 existing enterprises and 6 start-ups were provided prototyping
and/or business development services by the organization. These services affected 300 existing jobs. And, it is estimated
that for every $1 expended on center activities, $12 was returned to the regional economy in the form of improved
productivity, cost reduction, or the introduction of new products. It is further estimated that $300,000 of private
investments were attracted to Illinois through SIAM’s services. In 2004, SIAM acquired a rapid prototyping machine (rpm)
that produces prototypes of tools or parts from a plastic composite material. This equipment is located on the Lewis and
Clark campus and operated by LCCC’s engineering technology and CAD/Drafting faculty and students who have assisted a
number of entrepreneurs and business in producing prototypes from CAD designs. SIAM’s new center will open in fall
2007 at Lewis and Clark’s N.O. Nelson campus. The facility will include well-equipped offices, classrooms, and labs,
including an additional rpm device. Over fifty students have completed courses at Lewis and Clark’s main campus and
N.O. Nelson campus combined. These included drafting and computer networking. Students in the drafting classes
received hands-on experience with the rapid prototype machine and assisted faculty in providing rpm services for a number
of SIAM clients. LCCC and SIUE have established a 2+2 arrangement in pre-engineering and have begun recruiting
students for the program. Lewis and Clark is currently collaborating with RP Lumber to develop and offer kitchen design
courses at N.O. Nelson. RP Lumber alone has kitchen design centers in 42 stores and, when combined with other design
centers, represents an important job opportunity for area students.
Contact Information
Name: Tom Wunde
Email: twunderle@lc.edu
Phone: (618) 468-2004
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