Arkansas State University will use $2.1 million in congressionally directed spending to acquire industry-grade testing equipment for its advanced materials and steel manufacturing center and to expand steel research, the college said Wednesday.
The funding comes from an earmark by U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., who secured the money in the Fiscal Year 2026 spending package.
A-State’s new equipment will enhance the Center for Advanced Materials and Steel Manufacturing’s ability to study the properties of steel, according to a news release. The investments will let researchers work directly with the college’s industry partners to improve production processes, reduce delays and accelerate innovations in steel manufacturing.
“This funding allows A-State to connect advanced research with the real-world industry needs across the continuum of the workforce pipeline,” A-State Chancellor Todd Shields said in a statement.
A-State’s $10 million steel center was announced two years ago, with the goal of supporting the region’s steel economy and workforce. Northeast Arkansas has become a center for steel production, particularly in Mississippi County, which has billed itself as “America’s #1 Steel Producing County.”
There are 20 steel-related businesses in the county that employ about 3,600 people, or nearly a quarter of the county’s workforce. The average wage for manufacturing jobs in the county is $99,000.
