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Manufacturing Day Gains Steam

Sept. 27, 2012
More than 150 manufacturers are scheduled to participate in the nation’s first Manufacturing Day, Friday, October 5

Manufacturing Day 2012 will take place next week, and more than 150 manufacturers are on board to mark the occasion with open houses, plant tours, career workshops and other events. Scheduled for Friday, October 5, Manufacturing Day will highlight the importance of manufacturing to the nation’s economy and draw attention to the high-skill jobs available in the sector.

The event is co-produced by the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International (FMA); the U.S. Commerce Department’s Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and its branches in many states; the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); and the Manufacturing Institute. Dozens of regional and national manufacturing groups and related businesses have thrown in their support, as well. The Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) is one.

“Manufacturing is finally on the front burner of our nation’s agenda,” said Stephen Gold, MAPI president and CEO, “so this the perfect time to amplify the message and inform the public as to the enormous contributions manufacturing makes to society and its vital role in the U.S. economy. We applaud the sponsoring organizations and join with them in highlighting this new era for the industrial sector.”

MAPI applauds the event as an important effort to introduce as many people as possible to the new manufacturing reality: clean and lean facilities with highly skilled employees implementing advanced technologies and processes.

“Manufacturing plays a vital role in the economic health of the nation,” said David Boulay, president of the Illinois Manufacturing Extension Center. “Manufacturing is an essential contributor to our nation's and our state's prosperity. It is imperative that we continue to get the message out about how manufacturing is changing. Careers in manufacturing are fundamentally different from a few decades ago; manufacturing work settings are also fundamentally different, all for the positive. The MEP system is here not only to help transform the state of manufacturing competitiveness, but also to help spread the word about the importance of manufacturing for our economy and as a career choice.”

For more information about Manufacturing Day 2012, to go http://www.mfgday.com/

About the Author

Victoria Fraza Kickham | Distribution Editor

Victoria Kickham is the distribution editor for Electronic Design magazine, SourceESB and GlobalPurchasing.com, where she covers issues related to the electronics supply chain. Victoria started out as a general assignment reporter for several Boston-area newspapers before joining Industrial Distribution magazine, where she spent 14 years covering industrial markets. She served as ID’s managing editor from 2000 to 2010. Victoria has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in English from Northeastern University.

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