
Mark Denzler, President & CEO
Manufacturing matters in Illinois! For more than two hundred years, innovative and ingenious Illinois manufacturers have made the world a better place to live by creating life-saving products, building our infrastructure, transporting people and products around the globe and into space, feeding the world, powering our homes and businesses, developing pioneering technology and communication, and providing for our nation’s defense.
Today’s modern manufacturing sector is high-tech, diverse, innovative, sustainable, and moving at the speed of light. Our members employ 650,000 women and men on shop floors, producing $580 billion in economic output – the single largest share of the Illinois economy. Manufacturers are the innovators and entrepreneurs, dreamers and leaders of America.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association is marching forward, side-by-side with industry to address challenges and shape the future. A powerful and respected leader from the White House to the Governor’s Office, Congress to the General Assembly, and City Halls across the state, the IMA is the unifying voice and champion of manufacturing in Illinois.
We are solving problems and getting results by using cutting-edge tools and technology. The IMA saved manufacturers more than $800 million by extending the Research & Development credit, phasing out the franchise tax, and enacting a new Manufacturers Purchase Credit. We successfully lobbied the General Assembly to spend $4 billion in federal ARPA dollars to offset debt in the UI Trust Fund rather than hiking taxes on employers. The IMA championed creation of two new world-class manufacturing academies and launched a new $7 million “Make it in Illinois” campaign with the Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity. We worked to improve the EDGE program along with creating new MICRO and REV-EDGE incentives that have led to billions of dollars in manufacturing and quantum investment in Illinois. Our Education Foundation is a world-renowned organization working to implement best-in-class solutions to develop the next generation manufacturing workforce. The IMA is delivering a real dollar return for manufacturers who invest in our mission.
In an era of social media, instant messaging, and terabyte requirements, staying ahead of the demand put upon today’s manufacturers requires rapid responses and forward-thinking vision. Every new company that joins the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association makes our voice louder and stronger.
The IMA is BOLDLY MOVING MAKERS FORWARD and we invite you to join us.
Regards,
Mark Denzler
President & CEO