On Wednesday, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, announced the appointment of 30 private sector leaders to the Manufacturing Council for the 2015-2016 charter term. The Council was established in 2004 to serve as the principal private sector advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the U.S. manufacturing industry.

The Manufacturing Council and its sub-committees work to ensure regular communication between government and the manufacturing sector and provide a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related problems. Council members advise the Secretary of Commerce on government policies and programs that affect U.S. manufacturing and recommend ways to ensure that the United States remains the preeminent destination for investment in manufacturing across the globe. 

We are excited to announce that the newly-appointed Manufacturing Council members included two members from MEP: Jeffrey Wilcox –Vice Chair of the MEP Advisory Board; and Ray Yeager – Chair of MEP Center Catalyst Connection in Pittsburgh, PA. To view a copy of the press release, click here.

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SBA's American Supplier Initiative is an effort to grow small businesses, create jobs and to ensure that America has a strong, deep and diverse supply chain. Small and medium-sized manufacturers can have access to a program designed to enhance supply chains and expand business opportunities. Through the U.S. Small Business Administration's American Supplier Initiative, MEP centers have the opportunity to invite their small and medium-sized manufacturers to participate in free matchmaking events across the country. Starting in March, these events will connect manufacturers to potential buyers looking for opportunities to grow and diversify their networks. Centers are also welcome to submit ideas for speakers, panels and topics of interest relevant to their regions.

The matchmaking events are scheduled around the U.S. throughout the year.  For the latest schedule or to register, please click here. For questions or suggestions, please contact Chris James at chris.james@sba.gov or Nathan Segal at nathan.segal@sba.gov or contact Heidi Sheppard at heidi.sheppard@nist.gov.

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On Tuesday, February 10th, MEP held a Future Trends in Manufacturing webinar for the grantees of the Jobs and Innovation Challenge (JIAC and AMJIAC), and is making the recording available to the MEP System. The webinar includes two presentations:

1. Anupam Singh, President of 113 Industries, talks about results from the study, “Technological Mega-trends in Manufacturing”. The study was part of Catalyst Connection’s AMJIAC award. Mr. Singh covers three converging trends: Cloud Computing, Internet of Things and Advanced Materials. He discusses why it is imperative for small and medium businesses in particular to be aware of these trends and to apply them in order to compete successfully and grow their businesses.
2. Brookings Institute just completed a report entitled, “Advanced Industries: Defining America’s Competitiveness”, assessing key national and regional trends in 50 industries around the nation. Mark Muro, Senior Fellow and Director of Policy for the Metropolitan Policy Program, discusses how macro trends in global competition and technology development have positioned “advanced industries” as the forefront of American economic policy. Mark discusses how states and regions can play a critical role in bolstering the country’s advanced industries with a central focus on three policy areas: innovation, workforce, and ecosystems.

To view the webinar recording, click here. This link will download as an MP4 file onto your computer. For more information, contact Heidi Sheppard at heidi.sheppard@nist.gov.

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Mark your calendars for March 3, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. EST. NIST MEP will be presenting the updated 2015 MEP General Terms and Conditions and Operating Plan Guidelines in preparation for the upcoming renewals. Please plan on joining us to learn about the program revisions and changes related to the new “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”. The webinar information will be provided within 2 weeks of the presentation.

For questions, contact Mellissa Ayala at mayala@nist.gov | (301) 975-5771.

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The International Economic Development Center's Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world's best economic development programs and partnerships, marketing materials, and the year's most influential leaders. These 34 awards honor organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. If Centers are interested in submitting an entry, please click here. Winners will be recognized at 2015 IEDC Annual Conference scheduled for October 4-7th.

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Calling all Improvement Kata or Coaching Kata practitioners and those who would like to be to attend the first-ever Toyota Kata Summit. This event brings together the rapidly growing world of Kata users and emphasizes experiential learning so practitioners, trainers and consultants can integrate practice of the Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata routines into their teams and organizations.

Enter promo code "MEP" for a 10% discount. For more information and to register, please visit www.katasummit.com.

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What happens to small businesses if sensitive information falls into someone else’s possession? What would it cost to be without some or all of your business’s sensitive data?

On February 19th NIST will help answer these question and discuss the Cybersecurity Framework and key small business initiatives being undertaken by NIST. The webinar can benefit MEP clients that are struggling to protect their data and help them manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. This hour-long webinar will provide an overview of the Framework and highlight best practices and resources available to assist manufacturers of all sizes.

Webinar Details:Webinar Link | Watch Video | Contact Samm Bowman.

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This two day class will teach you the equipment related techniques for a successful & sustainable TPM program. For further details click here.

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In support of the Food Processors Manufacturing Technology Acceleration Center (MTAC) Project, Oregon MEP is hosting a webinar to discuss the importance of water management and how emerging technologies can help industries safely remove solids from their operations' waste water.  For further details click here. For questions contact Clara Asmail or Linda Wechsler.

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Join guest speaker Maureen Mulcahy, Project Coordinator for the Make It In America Initiative, and learn why reshoring and the creation of regional supply chains are on the rise. See how your business can make better sourcing decisions with a Total Cost of Ownership (or TCO) analysis. In addition, you’ll learn about the supplier scouting assistance available when you reshore your supply chain within PA and about the new Reshore2PA website To register, click here.

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The Oregon Manufacturers’ Summit is an annual event that celebrates and empowers the state’s makers of prosperity. The 2015 Summit will serve as a platform for Oregon manufacturers, partners, and policymakers to share and discuss industry best practices, glean insights from innovative and successful firms across the state, and build a powerful public interest in manufacturing. For more information, click here.

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