New Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute Launched for Defense Sector

The Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute (QCMI) launched in late August 2024 as a catalyst for the defense and manufacturing sectors across the Midwest. QCMI is a partnership between Western Illinois University (WIU), the University of Illinois System and Iowa State University that will focus on research and development, and workforce development in advanced manufacturing and materials.

“Iowa State University is proud to be part of this groundbreaking partnership to establish the Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute,” says Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen. “This initiative will bring to bear our strengths as a land-grant university—fostering collaboration, conducting advanced research and developing innovations that support the local workforce and drive economic growth.”

QCMI aims to foster collaboration between the U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal, businesses in the Quad Cities region, the participating universities and community colleges. The new entity will add a facility on WIU’s riverfront campus in Moline to its space at the Rock Island Arsenal.

“The University of Illinois System drives economic opportunity throughout the state by engaging in partnerships with the private sector and like-minded institutions of higher education,” President Tim Killeen says. “The Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute is a powerful example, working with our partners from Western Illinois University and Iowa State University to seize a significant opportunity and leveraging our expertise to help deliver results that build a better future for all of us.”

The institute will focus on research and development in advanced and additive manufacturing and materials. QCMI will work closely with defense and industry partners, while also training a skilled workforce.

“The launch of the Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute marks a pivotal moment in Western Illinois University’s commitment to innovation and workforce development,” WIU Interim President Kristi Mindrup says. “This collaboration between educational institutions and industry will drive technological advancements and nurture a highly skilled workforce for the Quad Cities region and beyond.”

QCMI’s work supports the Department of Defense and defense readiness by contributing to defense-related technologies and workforce development. The institute also works closely with private-sector partners and community organizations to create a regional innovation ecosystem.

An example of the work at the Quad Cities Manufacturing Institute is materials research for the defense department. Researchers led by William P. King, the Ralph A. Andersen Endowed Chair in the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Peter Collins, the Stanley Chair in Interdisciplinary Engineering at Iowa State, are developing new materials to protect military troops, equipment and facilities. 

The researchers are developing new technologies to design materials and manufacture them at scale. In the future, such materials could be manufactured at the Rock Island Arsenal or by businesses in the local community for use in defense and non-defense applications. University researchers will work with the institute’s existing network of schools and industries to advance manufacturing and materials while helping to maintain and develop a skilled workforce.

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