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NCDMM Celebrates 20 Years of Trust, Collaboration, Results

June 06, 2023 | Categories: America Makes News, Member News, OSD/DoD News

JOHNSTOWN, PA — For the past two decades, the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining (NCDMM) has been on a mission to ensure the U.S. warfighter always has a superior advantage. As NCDMM recognizes its 20th anniversary this year, the organization is reflecting on its journey from past to present.

Founded in 2003 in Latrobe, PA, NCDMM remains committed to revitalizing and delivering innovative collaborative solutions for our nation’s manufacturing industry. The organization and its team are acknowledged as industry leaders in the execution of successful applied research and development projects to improve Department of Defense (DoD) weapon and support systems, as well as delivering customers with manufacturing and technology solutions to aid the U.S. in remaining globally competitive.

As the parent company of four subsidiaries, including America Makes, the National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute; the Advanced Manufacturing and Applied Research Innovation Institute (AMARII); Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Integration Center (AMIIC); and V4 Institute, NCDMM has continued to expand its reach while assembling an extraordinary team of conveners and problem solvers who have built trust and fostered collaboration.

“Along with our alliance partners, clients, and industry experts from government, industry, and academia, we are all working toward a common goal of driving manufacturing innovation to benefit the U.S. warfighter,” states Gary Fleegle, NCDMM President and CEO. “Looking back on the past 20 years, we are cognizant that the success of NCDMM would not be possible without the shared accomplishments of the individuals who continue to make a positive impact on our nation and beyond.”

NCDMM has celebrated several major milestones, projects, and programs throughout the years and has adapted – and even transformed its services to affect the advanced manufacturing industry. Since its inception, NCDMM has steadily grown, hiring new employees, opening additional offices, and gaining government contracts that began in 2005 with a $24M Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) award from the U.S. Army to a $69M IDIQ award in 2021.

“These awards make it possible for us to offer a platform for our 200+ alliance partners to research, develop, and implement lean operations, quality outcomes, and highly advanced technologies to ensure our nation is the leader in commercial and defense manufacturing across land, air, and space,” explains Fleegle. “We do this by focusing our strategies and investments in seven key thrust areas including advanced and additive manufacturing, crisis response, education and workforce development, manufacturing assessments, roadmapping, and supply chain management.

NCDMM projects have been acknowledged as revolutionary within the AM industry and earned the prestigious Manufacturing Leadership Council Award for the past three years, as well as the Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award. Among those projects receiving recognition include the Maturation of Advanced Manufacturing for Low-Cost Sustainment (MAMLS), Advanced Manufacturing Crisis Production Response (AMCPR), and Additive eXtreme Improvement in Optical Mounts (AXIOM). (Select link to learn more about each project).

“Over the course of the next few months, NCDMM will feature a campaign highlighting several of our employees and partners as they offer thoughts on why their relationship with us matters. It’s important to recognize and amplify individuals, business partners, and our impactful projects as each is paramount to our past and future success,” notes Fleegle.

NCDMM is poised to continue its trajectory of growth over the next 20 years, ensuring that our nation remains the leader in worldwide manufacturing innovation and that the U.S. warfighter always has a superior advantage. Our country depends on it.

To view employee and partner testimonials and other successful projects that highlight the work at NCDMM, visit HERE.