1. (1) the State must make a long-term institutional commitment to improving the competitiveness of existing and emerging manufacturers;
2. (2) the State's support for manufacturing must be industry-driven, with governmental and educational efforts focused on priorities set by businesses;
3. (3) to have a noticeable impact on the State and regional economies, the State's efforts to support manufacturing must be organized in ways that address the level of need;
4. (4) the State's support of manufacturing must be held accountable to measurable outcomes that result from the State's business assistance activities;
5. (5) to be competitive, all manufacturers must deploy the latest advances in technology;
6. (6) to develop a competitive manufacturing base, the State should target its limited resources to those key manufacturing industries that have a strong presence or healthy growth prospects; and

7. (7) the State's business assistance services for existing and emerging manufacturers must be:

   1. (i) comprehensive, ranging across marketing, technology, financing, job training, and other needs of manufacturing; and
   2. (ii) readily available across all regions of the State.

To support manufacturing in Maryland, it is the policy of the State to follow these seven principles:

Added by Acts 2008, c. 306, § 2, eff. Oct. 1, 2008.