Hawaii Technology Development Corp. awards over $900,000 in grant funds to local manufacturing companies
HONOLULU, HI — The Hawaii Technology Development Corporation (HTDC) recently awarded $930,680 in Manufacturing Assistance Program (MAP) grant funds to 29 Hawaii-based manufacturing companies. Of the companies awarded funding, 23 were first-time recipients of the MAP grant funds.
“It’s great to be able to offer financial support to local manufacturers, knowing that the funding is used to improve their businesses,” said Robbie Melton, executive director and CEO of HTDC. “The grant helps companies expand their production, resulting in more jobs in Hawaii and contributing to the state’s economy overall.”
In addition to helping Hawaii manufacturers become globally competitive, INNOVATE Hawaii’s MAP grant gives local manufacturers a chance for expansion and becoming energy efficient. This year’s funding resulted in 230 full time positions, including 48 of which have salaries of $80,000 or higher. This result brings HTDC another step closer to achieving the 80/80 initiative of creating 80,000 high-paying jobs in Hawaii.
“The support we received from HTDC has allowed our company to purchase innovative new machinery which, in turn, helps improve our product and increase productivity so we can continue to compete in an ever-changing marketplace,” said Susan Hanes, director of development at Dana Labels, Inc.
The grant provides up to 20 percent reimbursement (up to $100,000 per company) on qualified expenses, which totaled an investment greater than $6 million by the companies that received funding this year. The qualified expenses that companies can receive reimbursement for include equipment purchases, training, energy effiency projects, and manufacturing feasibility studies. This year, the majority (87 percent) of awarded funds went toward equipment purchases and 12 percent went toward feasibility studies.
“The MAP grant funds have allowed us to greatly expand our production capacity and become much more efficient,” said Adrian Hong, president of Island Plastic Bags, Inc. “We were able to purchase new equipment that can produce the same amount of plastic per hour as all of our current equipment combined, reducing the amount of labor and electricity needed. Thanks to the MAP grant, we will be able to continue to grow with a vastly expanded capacity to serve our customers.”
The 2018 MAP grant awardees include:
• From the City and County of Honolulu — Previously awarded: Aloha Shoyu Company Ltd., KYD, Inc., HONBLUE, Lanikai Brewing Company, LLC. First-time awardees: Waimanalo Wood, LLC, IL Gelato Hawaii, Maui Bay Shirt Co., Inc., The Art Source, Inc., Island Plastic Bags, Inc., Hawaiian Chip Company, Window World Inc., JEJ LLC and Choco Lea.
• From Maui County — Previously awarded: Pacific Biodiesel Technologies, LLC. First-time recipients: Maui Raw, LLC, Maui Kuia Estate Chocolate, Inc., Origin Coffee Roasters, HNU Photonics, LLC and Elle Mer Swim, LLC.
• From Hawaii County — First-time recipients: Hawaii Pineapple Company, LLC, Makana Gardens, LLC, Kohala Meats & Deli, LLC, Rusty’s Hawaiian, LLC, Kona Brewery, LLC, Hawaii Ulu Producers Cooperative and Waiakea Bottling, Inc.
• From Kauai County — Previously awarded: Koloa Rum Company. First-time recipients: Anahola Granola, LLC and Kauai Island Brewing Company.
The MAP grant is administered by HTDC’s INNOVATE Hawaii, a national program funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology, which provides assistance to Hawaii manufacturers to grow and expand their business.
