James A. D’Agostino is CEO and director of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at TDO, a nonprofit consulting and training organization. It is based in Liverpool.

Manufacturing has long been the backbone of the Empire State. Historically, it shaped Central New York’s economy and helped knit together the fabric of our communities. And today, manufacturing still fuels regional economic growth by providing stable, well-paying jobs, supporting a diverse supply chain and driving innovation across sectors, ranging from aerospace and defense to medical devices and advanced materials.

In fact, just last year, New York exported $72.7 billion of manufactured products as the third-largest state exporter of goods, according to the U.S. Trade Representative. Not only is manufacturing esse

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