TL;DR: United Parts of Chicago partnered with Applied Strategies International, LTD (ASI, the Midwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center) to help manufacturers in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin affected by import competition.

Business Automation through the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) Program

What is Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF)?

The Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program, established by Congress under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, helps import-impacted U.S. firms develop and implement projects to regain global competitiveness, expand markets, strengthen operations, and increase profitability. This unique, focused source of consulting and technical service assistance offers up to $75,000 in cost-sharing of projects aimed at enhancing a domestic company’s ability to compete successfully. And there’s nothing that can help to be competitive more than business automation: to compete with a giant machine, one must oversmart it, not overperform. This is where the Zoho platform comes into play.

Zoho Software for Manufacturing Industry

Zoho offers various products that can benefit manufacturers, aiming to optimize and streamline manufacturing processes. Here are some Zoho products applicable for manufacturing needs:

Zoho CRM is a flagship of the Zoho ecosystem. It offers email marketing and automation capabilities and integrates with other Zoho products, providing a flexible CRM solution for manufacturers.

Zoho Books, an efficient accounting platform, can help manufacturers keep track of expenses and manage back-office operations smoothly. With Zoho Books, you can be confident that your accounting needs are in good hands.

Zoho Inventory aids manufacturers in managing stock levels, optimizing warehouse space, and streamlining order processing. It integrates with other systems for a cohesive workflow and provides valuable insights through reporting and analytics, ultimately enhancing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Zoho Creator is a low-code platform for businesses to create custom manufacturing ERP applications. It includes features like automated workflows, predictive analysis, and prebuilt integrations, which can help manage every stage of the production life cycle. If you have your own developers or willing to invest in the custom applications, Zoho Creator might become your weapon of choice.

Who Can Get a TAAF Grant?

TAAF grant eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis. We partner with ASI, which serves Illinois-, Minnesota-, and Wisconsin-based manufacturers. If your manufacturing business has been impacted by import competition, contact the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. If your business is eligible, you can use a TAAF grant or a portion of it to pay for our business automation services.

Your Connection to TAAF Funding

If your manufacturing business has been impacted by import competition, you should contact the Trade Adjustment Assistance program.

Get Started Today

We’re Eligible, What Are the Next Steps?

Just let us know. We’ll discuss your business automation goals during the discovery phase (you can book a meeting with us at any time) and facilitate the next steps. The grant will pay the larger part of the project budget, giving you an opportunity to implement the necessary software with us at a fraction of the regular cost.

Oh, and if your business is not eligible for the TAAF grant — consider a free discovery meeting anyway. We can’t affect your eligibility, but we certainly can suggest the best approach to business automation with the Zoho platform.