The Barnes Group Advisors reports on potential economic benefits of Neighborhood 91
January 15, 2020
The Barnes Groups Advisors (TBGA), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, has released an impact study revealing the overall economic benefits of an Additive Manufacturing production campus for the Pittsburgh International Airport, currently in development and known as Neighborhood 91.
According to TBGA, its report substantiates that a cluster concept like Neighborhood 91 can act as a catalyst for AM industrialisation and innovation with the creation of a cost-efficient ecosystem. Multiple numerical data models with relevant industry data were reportedly complemented by economic theory to analyse the impact. The following five key impact areas were identified:
- Reduction in production costs – 25% for parts and 30% for powder
- Simplified supply chain with 80% reduction in manufacturing lead time and 80+% reduction in transportation cost and miles for powder to part production
- Workforce development and R&D boost productivity and innovation
- Agglomeration economies and labour market pooling for reductions in learning curves and under-utilised equipment
- Reduced energy consumption and emissions
Laura Ely, TBGA ADDvisor Services Leader and the report’s co-author, commented, “The current AM production supply chain is fragmented. This study validates that Neighborhood 91’s centralised campus will significantly reduce cost and the need to manage parts across a dispersed supply chain.”
John Barnes, TBGA Founder and Managing Director, stated, “A cluster does two key things: It enables process owners to focus on developing and optimising their core process, and it creates a skilled regional labour pool.”
The full economic impact report is available via the Neighbourhood 91 website.
