The Barnes Group Advisors Analyzes Economic Impact of Neighborhood 91

The Barnes Group Advisors (TBGA), a large independent advanced manufacturing engineering consultancy, has released an impact study revealing the overall economic benefits of an additive manufacturing production campus for the Pittsburgh International Airport. 

The planned development, revealed as Neighborhood 91, will sit on 195 acres directly attached to Pittsburgh International Airport. With strategic input from TBGA, the campus has been designed to house a complete end-to-end additive manufacturing (AM) ecosystem; it features all the necessary components that make up the AM/3D printing supply chain.

The TBGA report substantiated that a cluster concept like Neighborhood 91 can act as a catalyst for AM industrialization and innovation with the creation of a cost-efficient ecosystem. Multiple numerical data models with relevant industry data were complemented by economic theory to analyze the impact. Five key impact areas were identified:

• reduction in production costs;
• 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;
• agglomeration economies and labor market pooling for reductions in learning curves and under-used equipment; and
• reduced energy consumption and emissions.

“the current AM production supply chain is fragmented,” says TBGA ADDvisor services leader and report co-author, Laura Ely. “This study validates that Neighborhood 91’s centralized campus will significantly reduce cost and the need to manage parts across a dispersed supply chain.”

“A cluster does two key things: It enables process owners to focus on developing and optimizing their core process, and it creates a skilled regional labor pool,” says TBGA Founder and Managing Director John Barnes. “It is also a win for the region, he added, “because innovative companies locate near other innovative companies; this is an area where Pittsburgh, specifically, has been successful through the years.”

The full economic impact report is available for review on the Neighborhood 91 website.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.