10/25/2021 - On Oct. 23, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, visited Michigan to discuss the Build Back Better plan at a roundtable event at the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. Pelosi was joined by Congresswomen Haley Stevens and Debbie Dingell, as well as area business leaders as part of a workforce discussion.
8/25/2021 - Manufacturers with under 500 employees can now take advantage of a new program aimed at determining their readiness for technologies like robotics, 3D printing, and cloud computing, as well as preparing the manufacturing workforce to adopt them. Read the full article from www.flintbeat.com.
8/23/2021 - The Advanced Manufacturing Expo will feature more educational opportunities than in past years, one of the more noticeable differences to an event entering its sixth year. This year’s installment of the annual trade show, which features over 200 vendors while highlighting the latest innovations in the world of manufacturing, will be held at DeVos Place in Grand Rapids on Aug. 26-27. Read the full article on www.mibiz.com.
8/11/2021 - Automation Alley’s signature Integr8 Industry 4.0 conference is returning to an in-person format Oct. 19 at the TCF Center in downtown Detroit. Integr8 is designed to bring together technology and manufacturing experts to elevate the conversation around the smart and connected manufacturing revolution known as Industry 4.0. It will feature 15 different breakout sessions focused on the people, processes, and technologies shaping its future. Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center also will return with a dedicated space aimed at helping manufacturers along their digital transformation journey. Read the full article from www.dbusiness.com.
8/4/2021 - Michigan has been known for its expertise and productivity in manufacturing for more than 120 years. To maintain the state's competitive manufacturing advantage, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) is leading a signature Industry 4.0 initative. The partnership with Automation Alley and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (MMTC) features a multi-pronged strategy to support more than 6,000 of Michigan’s small- and medium-sized manufacturers in the early adoption of automation and digital technology in manufacturing. Read the full article from industryweek.com.
7/22/2021 - Today, Rep. Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI), introduced bipartisan legislation that would create a new expansion grant pilot program for the Hollins Manufacturing Extension Partnership program and help MEP centers cut through bureaucratic red tape by allowing them to choose how best to use federal funds. Administered by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the MEP program is a network of public-private partnerships in every state that gives small- and mid-sized manufacturers the services and resources they need to create well-paying manufacturing jobs and thrive in today’s economy. The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center is the official representative of the MEP National Network in Michigan is located in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District. Read the full article from stevens.house.gov.
7/20/2021 - Customers are an open book. They want a quality product at the lowest price possible. Put bluntly, they don’t particularly care if the process to make their parts is automated or manual, complicated or straightforward. Therefore, to earn a potential customer’s business, fabricators must cut the fat in their operations at every turn. Knowing that the competition is likely doing the same, fabricators must play the long game to achieve longterm competitiveness. Read the full article from www.fsmdirect.com.
7/14/2021 - Major technology breakthroughs are no longer just the stuff of startups in places like Silicon Valley, Boston or The Research Triangle. Today, technological innovation is happening in every front office and shop floor, and the Industry 4.0 revolution is underway. So what is it? Read the full article from www.mimfg.com
7/13/2021 - At the end of 2020, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved $2 million for the Michigan Economic Development Corp. to solicit regional grant proposals from eligible organizations that are interested in increasing Industry 4.0 awareness and readiness among local manufacturers. Read the full article from www.mibiz.com.
7/13/2021 - A labor shortage has emerged as the crisis du jour for most industries, including manufacturing, as the pandemic accelerated the trend of Baby Boomers slowly aging out of the workforce. The U.S. manufacturing industry is on pace to have 2.1 million unfilled jobs by 2030, according to a recent study by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Institute. U.S. Department of Labor data also show that only 9 percent of U.S. workers are employed by manufacturers, a number that topped 20 percent back in the 1980s. Companies are now turning to automation to make roles less cumbersome and more attractive to potential employees. Read the full article from www.mibiz.com.