KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Oct. 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation—Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader and a mobility company based in Dearborn, Mich., that manufactures and distributes automobiles across six continents, was confirmed this August as a charter member of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI). The Manufacturing USA institute driven by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the U.S. Department of Energy is a 100+-member consortium committed to increasing domestic production capacity and manufacturing jobs across the U.S. composites industry. Ford’s Letter of Intent includes a $5 million commitment to IACMI over five years, leveraging significant federal, state and industry investment dollars totaling $250 million. As part of its Charter Membership, Ford has appointed one representative, Patrick Blanchard, Technical Leader for Composites, to IACMI’s Board of Directors.