Data-Driven. Community Focused.

The Illinois Defense Manufacturing Consortium (ILDMC) brings together stakeholders from  industry, government, community, and academia to strengthen Illinois' defense manufacturing sector. 

As the fifth largest economy in the US, with a strong manufacturing sector as well as three active duty  military bases and three National Guard installations, Illinois holds a valuable position in the country’s national security and readiness. Manufacturing represents the single largest share of the state’s gross  product, and defense-related spending in 2020 amounted to $9.3 billion dollars with a value added impact of about $12 billion on the state economy. Over three quarters of the state’s manufacturing is concentrated in  the northern half of the state in four key regions: the Chicago, Quad Cities, Rockford and Greater Peoria Regions.

Since 2015, the ILDMC (formerly known as the Illinois Defense Network) has been active in these areas  implementing the Illinois Defense Adjustment and Resiliency programs with support from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC), Department of Defense (DoD). The group received an official designation as a defense manufacturing community in 2022, and has since targeted manufacturers in the casting and forging, renewable battery storage, and related industries.

ILDMC strives to help local communities adapt to DoD program changes, expansions, and cutbacks.

To do so, the ILDMC team carries out the following activities on an ongoing basis:

• Provides hands-on support to local defense manufacturers in areas including workforce development, cybersecurity, supply chain resilience, and innovation
• Conducts studies and produces reports on economic conditions in ILDMC regions, and economic impact of defense spending in the state
• Maintains Supply Chain Management Tool to track the defense manufacturing supply chain in the state.