Make it in America Supplier Scouting Opportunity
Proctor and Gamble (P&G) is looking for new manufacturing solutions to help solve the following manufacturing processes:
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Creep Resistant Polymer Materials: P&G is looking to explore materials and technology approaches that can limit tensile creep in extrusion created polyethylene flexible film materials.
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Shaped product processing belt or assembly: Identify fabrication methods, industry examples, or companies that are capable of producing a thick belt, or belt like assembly with deep cavities arrayed across the top surface.
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Laundry Disinfection in Professional Business: P&G is looking are looking for technologies and approaches in disinfecting / sanitizing laundry cost effectively for application in the global professional laundry category.
Act now on these opportunities to help P&G find companies in your state who can help solve these manufacturing processes. For detailed information on each opportunity, please visit the MEP Connect Make It In America Supplier Scouting group or contact Samm Bowman. For more information about the partnership with Proctor and Gamble, please contact Clara Asmail
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Innovation Challenge for Coal-Reliant Communities
The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) Research Foundation recently announced a new opportunity for counties and regions experiencing economic challenges due to the contraction of the coal industry. This opportunity is part of NACo and NADO’s partnership with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support coal-reliant communities with becoming more resilient to changing economic conditions.
Throughout 2015, NACo and NADO Research Foundation will host three intensive, hands-on training workshops designed to boost the innovative potential of coal-reliant counties and regions seeking to grow and diversify their economies.
- For more information about this program including eligibility, application instructions and FAQs, please visit the program's webpage here.
- The application to attend the first workshop is now open; to apply for the workshop, please fill out and submit the program application form located under the ‘Application’ tab.
- Note: There are three separate competitions for each of the three workshops.
MEP Centers in these communities can participate as part of the team applying for the program furthering the diversification efforts in their regions. For questions, contact Heidi Sheppard.
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Small Business Information Security Report: Open for Comments
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently released a draft Inter agency Report (NISTIR) to help small business and organizations understand how to provide basic security information, systems and network.
The NISTIR, titled Small Business Information Security: The Fundamentals, has been made available for public comments. Comments will be accepted through February 9, 2015. Please send comments / questions to: smallbizsecurity@nist.gov.
Click here to view the report. For questions contact Samm Bowman.
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Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance Appoints New President
Dave Rowland has been named president and CEO of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance. He succeeds Chuck Prucha who retired after leading the organization for the past four years. Rowland will direct the statewide economic development effort that helps companies become progressively more innovative, successful and profitable.
Rowland brings to the position a strong background in manufacturing leadership and strategic partnerships. He was director of operations and general manager of MerCruiser in Stillwater until 2009 and most recently held a senior position at Tulsa Winch Group.
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What NIST MEP is Reading
The Myth of America’s Manufacturing Renaissance: The Real State of U.S. Manufacturing
By the Information Technology Innovation Foundation (ITIF)
The Myth of America’s Manufacturing Renaissance: The Real State of U.S. Manufacturing, a new report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), assesses and refutes many misconceptions on that state of the U.S. manufacturing today.
The report first reviews a wide range of government data sets to present a clearer picture of the U.S. manufacturing environment. It then rebuts a number of myths about manufacturing renewal. Download Report
The U.S. Manufacturing Base: Four Signs of Strength
By the Peterson Institute for International Economics
Laments over the decline of the manufacturing base in the United States are widespread. But while manufacturing employment has steadily declined for many decades, more direct measures of manufacturing productivity show that the growth of the U.S. manufacturing sector has actually been strong and not simply in the subsectors affected by computer production. This Policy Brief, focuses on four investigations pointing to the growing strength of U.S. manufacturing. The 4 Signs of Strength:
- Manufacturing output growth
- U.S. Manufacturing competitive performance relative to other sectors of the U.S. economy
- U.S. Manufacturing productivity growth relative to other countries
- New evidence of outward expansion by U.S. manufacturing multinational corporations and economic activity by those same firms at home
Download Report
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MEP in the News
- Idaho MEP Center, TechHelp, recently welcomed President Obama at their New Product Development Lab in Boise State. Read More
- NY MEP Center, Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) will be partnering with Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology to deliver a STEM education course on composite technology to Long Island high school students. Read More
- WMEP employee Bill Burnett and leader of the Global Cities Initiative for the City of Milwaukee was featured in an article by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel discussing the importance of exporting. Read More
- Recently the Manufacturers Resource Center of Allentown, PA hosted a renowned cyber security expert Mark Graff to engage a roundtable discussion about cyber security with more than 40 Lehigh Valley manufacturing CEOs and IT Professionals. Read More
- Enterprise Minnesota was featured in article by the Alexandria Echo Press about a recent leadership development event where more than 100 manufacturers attended. Read More
- The Specialty Food Association invited Maine MEP Project Manager Bill Whittier to present a workshop on Lean Manufacturing at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Now in its 40th year, the show is one of the world’s largest marketplaces for food producers and buyers and this year featured more than 14,000 exhibitors from across the U.S. and around the world. Read More
Send us your news, events and activities! Email us at mepeblast@nist.gov
January 26-27, 2015 Galliard Group Family Business Advisory Certification Seattle, Washington
Family Business Advisors bring focus and helps owners realize successful transitions, business growth and innovation. This Certification program prepares advisors to work with owners on strategies for the future of their business! Participants receive program materials and access to online assessment and delivery tools. Certification cost for the two-day training is $1695. Questions or for further information contact lstewart@galliardgroup.com or go to the Galliard website to learn more and register.
There will also be a Certification program on February 24-25,2015 in Little Rock Arkansas.
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January 27-29, 2015 Tech Scouting and TDMI Workshop Menomonie, Wisconsin
The course provides MEP representatives with the instruction and tools needed to perform Technology Scouting and TDMI services for MEP clients. .
The approach is interactive and involves participatory activities to practice the core skills involved in promoting and performing both services including: expert interviewing, technology and market based research, intelligence and project organization and needs based analysis. The training includes demonstrations and exercises based on real-world examples of MEP projects in Tech Scouting and TDMI.
For questions about the registration or the workshop, please contact Julie Adams (715-232-2397) or Caroline Ashley (919-541-6822).
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January 29-30, 2015 Toyota Kata Workshop Southern Pines, North Carolina
Join us for a "learn, share and do" opportunity as we explore how Ingersoll Rand Southern Pines has utilized MDI (Managing for Daily Improvement) as part of their Lean Journey and participate in our one day Toyota Kata workshop to gain an understanding of how the Improvement and Coaching Kata methodologies are being implemented. Click here for more information.
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NEW!!! February 6- April 10,2015 Gain More Traction for LEAN Initiatives with MMEC’s 10-week Lean Certification Course Bozeman, MT
The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center will help companies build internal LEAN capacity for more success while participants develop added career milestones with a LEAN Bronze Certificate. Course features select guest speakers, hands-on application at real manufacturing firms, and peer interaction. Includes a Day One overview and a proctored SME Exam. Participants will be given reading assignments, homework questions, and practice exams reviewed to help prepare for the SME final exam. The cost of the exam is covered in the tuition fee. Click here for more information.
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February 18-19, 2015 2015 Toyota Kata Summit
Calling all Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata practitioners and those who would like to be to attend the first-ever Improvement Kata / Coaching Kata Summit. This event brings together the rapidly growing world of Improvement Kata / Coaching 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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February 24-25, 2015Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) 101 Training Session Hunt Valley, Maryland
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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"Make it in America" Manufacturer of the Week!
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“This project was the offshoot of an innovation jump start that InnovateMEP Mississippi did for Long Branch Company in 2012. We helped make the connection between BattleBells and Long Branch and provided coaching and assistance with development and commercialization. In 2013, the project created two jobs and brought more than $30,000 in economic benefits to a badly depressed area.”
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BattleBells, a client of InnovateMEP Mississippi, was formed in 2012 and manufactures the highest quality cowbells made to last a lifetime. The company was also created to represent the Mississippi State University cowbell tradition with honor. BattleBells are hand-crafted in West Point, Mississippi from stainless steel with TIG-welded seams and interchangeable turned wooden handles and come in a variety of sizes and finishes.
Visit the NIST MEP public site to learn more about this company and how the center is helping them grow.
For more information about NIST MEP's "Make it in America" Manufacturer of the Week, please contact Cindy Orellana (cindy.orellana@nist.gov | 301-975-4269).
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