manufacturers: it’s time for an image campaign global ... · utilize the small business...
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A monthly report to members from AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology
March 2017 AMTonline.org
As a major source of R&D
GDP11.8%
Manufacturing comprises nearly 11.8% of our GDP
Manufacturers also contributed
to the economy$$2.2 TRILLION
68%of Manufacturing accounts for U.S. Research and Development
1. CALIFORNIA2. Texas3. Ohio
1. INDIANA2. Wisconsin3. Michigan
TOP STATES with largest
manufacturing concentration
TOP STATES with most
Manufacturing Jobs
12.3 MIILLION
Total Manufacturing Jobs in the U.S.
Manufacturing is the 6th Largest Employer in the U.S.
$ $64,305Average AnnualEarning
$26.17Per HourAverage HourlyEarning
MANUFACTURING SALARY
Top Manufacturing Sectors with Most Manufacturing Jobs
Transportation
Food
Fabricated Metal
FACTS ABOUT MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing TradeBalance
Total amount the U.S. exported in manufacturing goods.
of total U.S. exports are manufacturing goods.
59.2%1.3 Trillion-629.9 Billion
SOURCES: Federal Reserve Economic Data, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Science Foundation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, Export.Gov, International Trade Administration
www.nist.gov/mep 1-800-MEP-4MFG
6
When the public image of manufacturing accurately reflects its reality, the interest (and potential career seekers) will follow.
See Page 7
/AMTonline/AMTnews /AMTinsight
See Page 2
Marcel Beraud is a true global business professional, speaking five languages and possessing extensive experience in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
By Kathy Webster AMT Media Communications Manager
Regional shows See Page 5
Manufacturers: It’s time for an image campaign
As an AMT member and manufacturer, you know that manufacturing is vital to a healthy economy and national security. The recently updated graphic to the right provides specific facts on the importance of manufacturing in the United States.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) works with small- and mid-sized U.S. manufacturers to help them create and retain jobs and increase profits. MEP works with partners at the state and federal levels on programs that help manufacturers develop new customers, expand into new markets and create new products.
MEP field staff is located in every state – serving as trusted business advisors, focused on solving manufacturers’ challenges and identifying opportunities for growth. As a program of the U.S. Department of Com-merce, MEP offers its clients a wealth of unique and effective resources centered on five critical areas: technology acceleration, supplier development, sustainability, workforce and continuous improvement.Learn more about how NIST MEP can help your manufacturing business at https://www.nist.gov. Sign up for the NIST MEP blog at http://nistmep.blogs.govdelivery.com/.
NIST highlights manufacturing
Created by the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program
Reach new markets in 2017: Think regionally
Committed to creating opportunities that grow our members’ businesses, AMT has partnered with SME to deliver a series of regional events that give exhibitors more opportunities to expand their markets and meet new customers. Featuring a blend of education, applications and technology innovations that are of specific interest to that region, the 2017 events are:
• EASTEC, May 16-18, Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield, Mass.
• WESTEC, Sept. 12-14, Los Angeles Conven-tion Center, Los Angeles, Calif.
• SOUTH-TEC, Oct. 24-26, TD Convention Center, Greenville, S.C.
The power of AMT business intelligence AMT is bringing the power of its data
analytics expertise to regional shows through Exhibitor Passport, which allows
exhibitors, for the first time, to have access to the registration database. The Exhibitor Passport makes it easy to zero in on your target customers and connect year-round to maintain your marketing and sales strategy. The EASTEC Exhibitor Passport is launching March 15. To ensure the success of your EASTEC experience contact [email protected] or call 1-888-268-3292.
MFG Advocate …Global Services has a new directorGlobal Services
Page 2 AMT NEWS/March 2017
Published monthly by theMarketing & Communications Department
©2017 AMTThe Association For Manufacturing Technology
7901 Jones Branch Drive, Suite 900McLean, Virginia 22102-3316
703-827-5234E-mail: [email protected]
Ruth Sharpe . . . . . Editor & DesignerKathy Webster . . . Media Communications ManagerAmber Thomas . . . Vice President - Marketing & CommunicationsPenny Brown. . . . . Director - Marketing & Communications
www.AMTonline.org
AMT NEWSRuth Sharpe . . . .703-827-5234 . . . . rsharpe@AMTonline .org
AMTonlineEric Gorte . . . . . . .703-827-5236 . . . . egorte@AMTonline .org
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . amtwebmaster@AMTonline .org Submit company news articles . .www .AMTonline .org/membercms
AdvocacyAmber Thomas . .703-827-5230 . . . athomas@AMTonline .org
Asset Management & OperationsJeffery Traver . . . .703-827-5251 . . . jtraver@AMTonline .org
Exhibitions - Apply for space at IMTS 2018Tom Snyder . . . . .703-827-5235 . . . tsnyder@AMTonline .org
Mark Kennedy . .703-827-5220 . . . mkennedy@AMTonline .org
Finance and HRBecky Stahl . . . . . .703-827-5246 . . . .bstahl@AMTonline .org
Global ServicesEd Christopher . . .703-827-5296 . . . .echristopher@AMTonline .org
Manufacturing TechnologyTim Shinbara . . . .703-827-5243 . . . tshinbara@AMTonline .org
Meetings . . . 888-379-4659 . . . www .AMTonline .org/meetings
Member ServicesSteve Lesnewich . . 703-827-5227 . .slesnewich@AMTonline .org
Melissa Williamson . 703-827-5272 . . mwilliamson@AMTonline .org
MTConnect® Tim Shinbara . . . .703-827-5243 . . . tshinbara@AMTonline .org
MTInsightIan Stringer . . . . .703-827-5209 . . . istringer@AMTonline .org
Smartforce DevelopmentGreg Jones . . . . . .703-827-5203 . . . gjones@AMTonline .org
Strategic AnalyticsPat McGibbon . . . .703-827-5255 . . . .pmcgibbon@AMTonline .org
Contact AMT
AMT NEWS
By Ian Stringer Director, MTInsight
MFG Advocate …
By Penny Brown, Director AMT Marketing & Communications
Amber ThomasV.P. - Marketing & Communications
Several years ago, a member called AMT looking for information needed to reconcile claims of disparity in the way sales territories were allocated across sales staff.
Fortunately, the company was a participant in the USMTO program, which improved AMT’s ability to help. But at the time the data he needed from USMTO was not available to him in a format suited for solving this specific problem. So the analysts at AMT got to work accessing and then organizing the USMTO data in a way that allowed the member company to compare the market size and market share across different sales territory combina-
Are your sales territories balanced? Find out with Territory Wizard!
tions on the fly. This was the genesis of the Territory Wizard.
Due to the popularity of requests for this tool, AMT has added the Territory Wizard tool to the portfolio of apps available on AMT’s business intelligence platform. We are happy to
announce that the Territory Wizard is now live and available for all USMTO participants at MTInsight.org. If you are inter-ested in access to this application, please contact Jackie McFarland, Senior Industry Analyst, at 703-827-5206.
President Trump didn’t waste any time inviting manufacturers to the White House to discuss plans for developing high-wage manufacturing jobs. In the first of a series of “listening sessions,” two dozen business leaders, from companies including Emerson, Ford, GE, Dow, U.S. Steel, Lockheed Martin, 3M, Dell and General Dynamics, came together with the president, cabinet members and advisors to talk about ways to create jobs through trade, tax, regulatory and infrastructure improvements.
On Capitol Hill, while a vehicle for tax reform is still taking shape and details are emerging on a replace-ment for Obamacare, several pieces of legislation have been introduced to strengthen manu-facturing. Earlier in the year, the House passed the REINS Act on a
partyline vote. The bill would require that regulations with an economic impact of more than $100 million be approved by Congress before they take effect.
Members of the House and Senate manufacturing caucuses introduced bipartisan legislation to establish the position of U.S. Chief
Manufacturing Officer (CMO) in the Executive Office. The CMO would be responsible for coordi-nating manufacturing-related
policies and activities across agencies and developing a manufac-turing strategy for increased technologi-cal innovation, economic growth and
job creation.Another bipartisan, bicam-
eral bill, the America’s Small Manufacturers Act, aims to utilize the Small Business Administration to increase small manufacturers’ access to credit. The sponsors say it will increase affordable loans to manufactur-ers, incentivize expansion, eliminate the “start-up” penalty, expand education assistance to small manufacturers, and consolidate loan guarantee programs.
Senators Portman (R-OH) and Shaheen (D-NH) have reintroduced their bipartisan energy bill, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act. The legislation would use various tools to encourage energy efficiency, such as strengthening building codes, creating initia-tives for business, directing the Department of Energy to work with the private sector on research, and requiring the federal government to adopt energy saving measures.
AMT supports all four bills mentioned above and continues to advocate for pro-manufactur-ing policy. Join us by keeping the pressure on your members of Congress to keep manufacturing at the top of the agenda. They need to hear from you which regulations, tax provisions and infrastructure projects matter to you the most. You are the best advocate for your company and industry. Your input will make an impact. If you have comments and ques-tions on the Trump administration and congressional agendas, please send me an email at [email protected].
Washington gets down to business
In late February, a group of manufacturing CEOs visited the White House for a meeting with President Trump. While Trump and the executives all stated their commitment to restoring factory jobs lost overseas, a few of the CEOs in attendance said that they had plenty of jobs – but not enough qualified people to fill them.
This is a common refrain in our industry and certainly not a new challenge. But the public perception is much different, with many believing manufacturing is a “dying” industry, or that it offers little more than menial jobs. Much has been said about the need to improve manufacturing’s public image in order to make it more attractive for young career seekers. This is also important for portray-ing the industry realistically for the public at large. While the president might be misinformed about manufacturing’s actual difficulties, he’s hardly alone. A Kronos/Harris Poll survey from October 2016 revealed the following: • Only 9 percent of Americans
work in manufacturing, while 21 percent have limited to no knowledge of the industry
• 25 percent know that there are significant amounts of jobs available in manufacturing
• 14 percent believe that manu-facturing is a fast-growing industry
But here’s the real punchline: When given information about the current state of manufactur-ing, 50 percent of employed survey respondents said they would be likely to pursue a career
in manufacturing if they were just starting out.
That last stat should be the one to provide the most hope, but the prior three show that the industry still has its work cut out. When the public image of manu-facturing accurately reflects its reality, the interest (and potential career seekers) will follow. As the current lack of skilled work-ers is creating a real threat to productivity, imagine the differ-ence it would make if we caught that 50 percent before they chose a career path! But meanwhile, it also might be time to look at what really gets to the heart of correct-ing the industry's image problem. While the advanced technology and high-tech opportunities in manufacturing are pushing it forward, a few elements of its culture might be holding it back.1. The need for diversity: Let's
face it - manufacturing isn't known as an industry with strong cultural or gender diversity. Studies show that diversity isn't just a "feel-good" corporate initiative; it has real and positive effects on the bot-tom line. As part of their employee recruiting efforts, manufacturers need to be vigi-lant in outreach to women, minorities, veterans and older workers and need to review their corporate practices and policies in light of creating an inclusive atmosphere.
2. Staying (too) humble: Traditionally, manufacturing is not an industry of glossy packaging. Its culture is more about "getting things done" and not making a huge fuss about it.
While the humility is commendable, it doesn't do much to update the gloomy image that we have to try so hard to fight.
3. Marketing squeamish-ness: Another traditional manu-facturing trait is the idea that there’s no need to invest a whole lot in marketing (see item #2). While that may have been true in the past, marketing now is just as much about staying competitive (and even surviving as a business) as it is about showing the world what we’re all about. So yes, that does mean embracing some “slick packaging” and getting involved on social media. Beyond embark-ing on a mere image campaign, industrial buyers (aka your cus-tomers) are increasingly identi-fied as digital natives – those who’ve been around digital tech-nologies, computers and the internet from an early age. You need to meet them where they are, and market your products in a way that appeals to them.
Let’s keep working to get the word out in ways we’ve never done before. I’ve written my last few columns about the need for a “digital facelift” to put your company’s best face out to the world. While it’s meaningful to those “digital natives” mentioned above, it’s also part of giving our industry a modern image. But it’s just one part of how we can all be conscious of correcting the misperceptions that surround our industry. Be proud, reach out, and show the world what manufactur-ing is really made of!Contact me at [email protected].
Manufacturers: It’s time for an image campaign
NET UNITS MARKET SHARE
MACHINE CATEGORY :
MACHINING CENTERS - VERTICAL
HORIZONTAL LATHES
MACHINING CENTERS - HORIZONTAL & OTHER
VERTICAL LATHES
NET UNITS MARKET SHARE
NET UNITS
MARKET SHARE
300 10%
Sample Data
150
100
40
10
0.0% 16.0% 0.0% 4.0%
You are the best advocate for your company and industry . Your input will make an impact .
March 2017/AMT NEWS Page 3
Market Data Review
Pat McGibbonV.P. - Strategic Analytics
Market Data Review See Page 4
Looks like a recovery is around the cornerLast spring, the best analysts covering manufactur-ing technology were predicting an upward swing in orders before summer 2017. Those forecasts seem to be right on track as the top indicators for our indus-try’s market are signaling a stronger market within the next 90 days.
The chart to the left reflects the direction and strength of chief indicators of the health of the manu-facturing technology market. Just a couple of months ago, this same chart was bleeding red and yellow. Today, indicators are either green or at least improving – a very good sign. The good news is reinforced by the news released in the early February Cutting Tool Market Report and the demo-graphic analysis on USMTO.
The Cutting Tool Market Report is a monthly statement on cutting tool shipments produced in collaboration between AMT and the U.S. Cutting Tool Institute. Historically, cutting tool shipments lead a recovery in capital equipment and to increases in industrial production. The last quarter of 2016 represented a significant increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2015, supporting expectations for a turnaround in manufacturing technol-ogy orders. In addition, demographic analysis of December USMTO data showed a significant surge across the country in manufacturing technol-ogy orders placed by job shops. Jobs shops are the excess capacity for U.S. manufacturing when in-house capacity begins to become constrained. The jump in orders placed by this industry along with anecdotal evidence about significant new orders for job work with the contract shops suggest that manufacturers in other industries are reaching their capacity limits.
That supposition isn’t made without corroborating evidence. Capacity utili-zation rates that were already above 75.4 percent in November climbed higher in both December and January, slower months historically due to holidays and weather.
The University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index and the National Federation of Independent Business Optimism Index are at 13-year peaks, also reflected in the increase in credit card debt to its highest level since Feb-ruary 2009. There are two causes for higher credit debt – a failing job market or optimism about the future. We are pretty sure it is the latter in this case.
There are dozens of additional indicators that we could cite but the point is clear – the economy and our market are getting better. At this point, and probably through March numbers, the negative month-on-month numbers are getting closer to zero. Positive growth is around the corner.
Economic upturns are never a sure thing. There are issues in the economic environment that could disrupt what looks like an imminent turnaround in our market. These include:
Natural disaster – the industry was on a roll in 2011 when a tsunami and earthquake hit Japan, taking suppliers of key manufacturing components offline for months, disrupting growth in manufacturing both in Japan and around the world.
Exports – U.S. Exports are doubly challenged in that interest rates are likely to rise soon, leading to a stronger dollar and making our exports more costly. In addition, the Trump administration has stopped U.S. par-ticipation in the Trans Pacific Partnership talks, which may result in our exporters facing higher tariffs in those countries relative to countries that complete the trade talks.
Higher interest rates – When the Fed increases rates, the impact will be modest. According to several economists working in the financial sector, there is so much foreign money in the United States right now that a mod-est increase in short-term rates is unlikely to have an impact on long-term rates. That is as long as we can continue to find enough buyers of U.S. long-term debt. China and Japan have been major consumers of U.S. Treasury notes for years. However, China has become a net seller of Treasury notes – buying new notes but selling more old notes than they buy new. If this continues and we don’t find a replacement for one of our debt’s best cus-tomers, the U.S. government could find it ever more difficult and more expensive to fund a continuously growing deficit.
Segment Business Conditions Status Notes
Manufacturing TechnologyBusiness Conditions Manufacturing technology orders are turning the corner
Durable Goods Manufacturing Business Conditions
Key industries were back making capital expenditures in the 4th quarter
Economic Indicators Summary Status Notes
Purchasing Managers’ Index PMI hasn't been this high since end of 2014, which was peak of manufacturing technology orders
Capacity Utilization for Mfg. Capacity utilization moved up a full point last month
Orders for Mfg. Durable Goods A good number though it's down from last rnonth
Housing Starts Housing starts continue to be a strong point in the indicators
30-Year Mortgage Rate Rates continue to be low compared to historical averages
Consumer Sentiment Consumer sentiment hasn't been this high in more than two years
AAA Bond Yields Rates are signaling low costs for financing growth
Light Vehicle Sales Sales have slowed to less than a 17 million annual-unit pace
Baltic Dry Index Increases in index in past few months are encouraging
Restaurant Barometer Index Sitting just above 100, the index rests at the lowest value that still represents a signal for healthy business levels
AMT Current Conditions Report
If you’re like me, and have been in sales for any length of time, your to-do list is your bible that guides you through each day, week, month, etc. Without it, you are lost. We have all tried to come up with new and better ways to prioritize our tasks. For me, it started with the standard list where my No. 1 task was the first task (or the most important one) on my list and then each subsequent task was less important. Then I came up with the non-numbered tasks that were used as reminders of things that had to be done, not that day, but in the future.
As my tasks continued to grow, I started adding a star for a very important task, then two stars, three stars, threw in yellow highlighted tasks and so on. At the end of the day, I would sit down, review my completed and uncompleted to-dos, and make a new list for the next day. Every day, the priority numbers would change, stars were added or removed and there never seemed to be enough space to keep the task description all on one line. My to-do lists became tedious and sometimes overwhelming. Then, I found Toodledo.
Toodledo is an incredibly powerful tool that helps you increase your productivity and,
pretty much, organize your life. I like it for two reasons: the first and most important is that it is the most flexible and powerful to-do list tool I have ever used. Second, and even cooler, Toodledo has location-based
alarms that remind you when you are near a location of any of your tasks.
Toodledo is easily customized to fit your personal needs. You can use Toodledo from your desktop
and it will automatically sync with your Apple iOS or Android mobile device and vice versa. You can set customizable alarms and reminders for your tasks that will remind you via email, SMS text, an alert
in your iOS or Android app, or even through Twitter.
Adding a task is simple. Simply name your task, add a due date, give it a priority (0 low, 1 medium, 2 high and 3 top) and add any notes or descriptions of the task. Adding a note is a great feature. You can clearly describe the task and include anything that you think is important, like phone numbers, quote numbers, etc., then click save. Once saved, all of your task's devices are automatically synched to your other devices.
Any task can be changed just as easily, so if dates or priorities change, just adjust accordingly. You can also create a hot list from your existing
list by simply clicking on the star button for that task. All starred tasks will jump to the top of your list. Sorting is just as easy, simply click on due date, priority, or hot list and all of
your tasks will be correctly arranged. When the task is finished, just mark it complete and it will disappear from your list, but it will remain in a completed task file that can be reviewed any time you want.
The really cool thing about Toodledo is that you can actually receive task reminders when you physically come close to a task that is near your current location. For example, let’s say that you have a good customer who said, “Stop and see me next time you’re in the area.” If you’re like me, I’ll remember I was in the area when I get home that night. Not anymore. All you have to do is mark the task with an address, and when you’re close to that address, the app will send a reminder and even sound an alarm. Or, if you are already in the area, you can look at the app on your phone to see if there are any tasks to be completed near your current location. When you complete the task, remove it from your list and the reminder alarm will go away.
Too many “to dos”? Keep track with Toodledo
Steve LesnewichV.P. - Member Services
Toodledo See Page 8
Page 4 AMT NEWS/March 2017
Please call 888-379-4659 for meetings information. Call 800-524-0475 for information on international events.
MarchMARCH 15
CMTSE Certification - Online ExamProctored online exam using your computer
MARCH 22 - 25 The MFG MeetingOmni Amelia Island Plantation ResortAmelia Island, Fla.
APRIL 4 MT Sales Fundamentals Workshop BIG KAISER Precision ToolingHoffman Estates, Ill.
APRIL 10 - 11 Global Marketing & Sales Committee Meeting CNC/Mastercam - Tolland, Conn.
APRIL 17 - 22 CIMT 2017 - AMT PavilionChina International CenterBeijing, China
NovemberNOVEMBER 13 - 16
CCIMT - China Chongqing International Machine Tool ShowAMT ShowcaseChongqing, China
MayMAY 4
Spring Economic Update Webinar – OnlineEconomics & Statistics Committee Meeting AMT Headquarters - McLean, Va.
SeptemberSEPTEMBER 12 - 14
WESTEC - Los Angeles, Calif.
SEPTEMBER 13 - 14 Distribution Summit 2017 (D17)The Ritz-CarltonSt. Louis, Mo.
SEPTEMBER 18 - 23 EMO AMT Info BoothHannover, Germany
SEPTEMBER 19 - 20 Show Committee MeetingHannover, Germany
April
OctoberOCTOBER 11 - 13
GFMC Atlanta Marriott MarquisAtlanta, Ga.
OCTOBER 24 - 26 SOUTH-TEC - Greenville, S.C.June
Market Data Review Cont’d from Page 3
JUNE 14 CMTSE Certification - Online ExamProctored online exam using your computer
JUNE 20 - 24 FEIMAFE - São Paulo, BrazilAMT Emerging Technology Center
Welcome New Members3DEO, Inc. (Start-up Membership), Los Angeles, Calif. (Primary Prod-uct: Additive Process) www.3deo.co
Air Quality Engineering, Inc., Brooklyn Park, Minn. (Primary Prod-uct: Machine Tool Components/Business Services, including Engineer-ing) www.air-quality-eng.com
CNC Systems, Inc., Tustin, Calif. (Primary Product: Sales and Service) www.cncsystems.com
PANWEN INC., Utica, Mich. (Primary Product: Automation/Integra-tion/Robotics/Custom Systems) www.panwenrobotics.com
Renishaw Inc., West Dundee, Ill. (Primary Product: Quality/Metrology) www.renishaw.com
Sauter North America, Plymouth, Mich. (Primary Product: Machine Tool Components/Business Services, including Engineering) www.sauter-feinmechanik.com
SPRING Technologies Inc., Boston, Mass. (Primary Product: Controls/CAD/CAM/Software) www.ncsimul.com
Sugino Corporation, Itasca, Ill. (Primary Product: Sales and Service) www.suginocorp.com
Verisurf Software Inc., Anaheim, Calif. (Primary Product: Controls/CAD/CAM/Software) www.verisurf.com
WEIMA America, Inc., Fort Mill, S.C. (Primary Product: Non-Metal-working Machinery/Maintenance/Environmental/Material Handling) www.weimaamerica.com
WinTool North America, Arlington, Texas (Primary Product: Con-trols/CAD/CAM/Software) www.wintoolusa.com
WM Atkinson Technology, Anaheim, Calif. (Primary Product: Con-trols/CAD/CAM/Software) www.cncmatters.com
MAY 8 MT Sales Fundamentals Workshop BIG KAISER Precision ToolingHoffman Estates, Ill.
MAY 9 - 13 EXPOMAFE - São Paulo, BrazilAMT Emerging Technology Center
MAY 16 - 18 EASTEC West Springfield, Mass.
MAY 17 - 18 Show Committee MeetingWest Springfield, Mass.
MAY 16 - 18 MTConnect Institute TAG Meeting San Francisco, Calif.
MAY 17 AIM, BOT and Technology Issues Committee MeetingSan Francisco, Calif.
Steve Kline of Gardner Business Media completed his World Production & Trade tables for 2015 and 2016. The United States was the second larg-est consumer of machine tools behind China and the fourth largest pro-ducer behind China, Germany and Japan. You can find the entire report at www.gardnerweb.com and then click through on the “Research” tab at the top of the page.
If you have any questions about the content of this column or would like assistance in obtaining information on your market, competition or cus-tomer base, please feel free to call Pat McGibbon at 703-827-5255 or email [email protected].
Foreign Trade Report – December 2016U.S. machine tool exports valued $211.60 million in December, up 45.7 percent from November’s total of $145.26 million. Exports for year-to-date 2016 totaled $2,056.56 million, a decrease of 12.9 percent when compared to the same period for 2015. Monthly machine tool imports valued $442.82 million in December, up 14.2 percent from November’s total of $387.86 million. Imports for year-to-date 2016 totaled $4,783.28 million, a decrease of 9.4 percent when compared to the same period for 2015.
Mexico was the leading destination for U.S. machine tool exports in December with $59.92 million, a 62.4 percent increase from November. The second largest destination for U.S. machine tool exports was China, with $23.46 million, a 59.6 percent increase from November. Completing the top five destinations for U.S. machine tool exports were Japan ($7.78 million), Germany ($7.13 million) and Taiwan ($6.61 million).
Japan ($131.26 million) and Germany ($83.45 million) were the top sup-pliers of U.S. machine tool imports for December 2016. Compared to November’s figures, Japanese imports increased by 8.3 percent and Ger-man imports increased by 96.0 percent. Completing the top five sources of U.S. machine tool imports in December were Italy ($38.65 million), Taiwan ($31.99 million) and China ($25.40 million).
For more information about any aspect of this report or to make a specific data request, contact Faith Ambrosini at [email protected] or 703-827-5219.
Being friendly, witty and hardworking all come naturally to Midwesterner Bill Herman, who grew up on a cattle farm near Oconomowoc, Wis. Those attributes are key to his career. With more than 27 years of experience managing trade shows and events large and small, in dozens of industries and in more than 20 countries, Bill has gained a broad perspective on what makes an event relevant to both the exhibitor and visitor communities.
For the past five years, Bill has served as AMT’s Director of International Exhibitions and Sponsorships. With the goal of promoting and growing AMT member businesses, Bill manages AMT’s involvement in trade shows in China, Brazil, and India, while also cultivating sponsorships for AMT’s meetings and events in the United States. Having produced shows in many industries, Bill is most passionate about manufactur-ing where he finds “genuine people dedicated to their families and businesses.” Prior to AMT, Bill worked for AMTDA to create a new interactive machine tools exhibition with a large educational focus.
“Bill is a tremendous asset to our members based on his interna-tional experience, business acumen and get-it-done attitude. His sense of
humor and infectious laugh keep the team in the exhibitions depart-ment smiling even in the busiest and most stressful times,” said Peter Eelman, AMT VP – Exhibitions and Business Development.
In February, Bill accompanied AMT members on the final week of the association’s India Trade Mission to Bangalore, India, which concluded at IMTEX 2017. Bill directed the show’s AMT pavilion for exhibiting members. “This is an exciting time to be in the Indian manufacturing arena,” said Bill. “With the Indian economy expand-ing by 7.2 percent and projected to grow by 7.4 percent in 2017, our AMT members participating in the AMT/USA Pavilion at IMTEX experienced robust interest from visitors. Beyond just leads, several of our members
reported confirmed sales during the show, and to new customers that they met only onsite.”
Currently Bill is busy organiz-ing member participation in:• CIMT 2017 - Beijing, China
April 17-22• EXPOMAFE - São Paulo, Brazil
May 9-13• CCIMT - Chongqing, China
Nov. 13-16Bill also works with advanced
manufacturers to develop a customized plan for brand align-ment that lasts beyond the meeting or event. He is a strong believer that “one size does not fit all.” As the digital presence expands, Bill is exploring options to create interac-tive and longer-lasting experiences to connect prospective customers with sponsors. He is also exploring foreign markets for shows to expand the customer base of AMT mem-bers. Costa Rica and Cuba have grabbed his attention.
Bill credits his success with qualities he learned on the farm and in his small town: to be respectful, polite, honest and in the moment. “People need to talk and know you are listening,” says Bill.To learn more about exhibiting abroad, foreign opportunities or sponsoring an AMT event, contact Bill at 703-827-5282 or [email protected].
Meet Bill Herman: Focused on new business for you!
March 2017/AMT NEWS Page 5
Allied Machine & Engineering has purchased Superion, Inc., of Xenia, Ohio. Superion built its reputation as a manufacturer of innovative, spe-cial solid carbide and PCD-tipped rotary-cutting tools such as end mills, reamers, drills, and step tools. They are widely recognized as experts in developing customized solutions in specialty tooling. Customer sales and support will continue to be provided by both Allied and Superion, reflect-ing the strong relationships established by the companies.
BIG KAISER has formed a technical alliance with NASCAR’s Team Pen-ske. As the Official Performance Techni-cal Partner of Team Penske, BIG KAISER will bring its most advanced technology to the team. Under the terms of the new multiyear agreement, BIG KAISER will provide Team Penske with its latest CNC tool holding, preset-ting and boring equipment. Team Penske recently put the finishing touches on a 2,500-square-foot expansion to its machining department as the team continues to create parts for the racecars produced in its Mooresville, N.C.-based facility.
Gleason Corporation has acquired KISSsoft AG, located in Bubikon, Switzerland. KISSsoft is a leader in the development of design software for gears and power transmission systems, serving customers globally across a wide spectrum of industries. The existing KISSsoft manage-ment team and entire staff will remain intact with an ever-greater focus on serving its customers.
Jet Edge, Inc. has promoted Michael Wheeler to Engineering Manager. Wheeler is responsible for managing all aspects of Jet Edge’s engineering including technical writing, inspection, sales engi-neering and estimating, research and development and product development. He has been a part of engineering as Jet Edge’s R&D Engineer for more than 10 years. In that role, he moved product designs forward and engineered new products.
Lumavate LLC has announced that it has raised an additional $2 million in capital, led by Indianapolis-based tech entrepreneur Don Brown. Lumavate will use the funding from this round to scale sales and marketing efforts and increase product devel-opment efforts. Lumavate also announced that technology veteran John True has joined the Lumavate Board of Managers.
OMAX Corporation was one of 37 companies to receive the prestigious Tibbetts Award at the White House on January 10. The Tibbetts Award is given to small businesses and individuals by the U.S. Small Business Administration in recognition of innovative research and development of transferrable technology. OMAX received the award for its outstanding technological innovation in the area of micro abrasive waterjet technology, culminating in the MicroMAX Jet-Machining Center.
Dr. Peter Liu, Sr. Scientist at OMAX and creator of the MicroMAX abra-sive waterjet, was at the ceremony in Washington, D.C., to receive the award for the company. The MicroMAX is the industry's most precise abrasive waterjet with a positioning accuracy of less than five microns.
Sandvik Coromant and Don Schumacher Racing are pleased to announce the opening of a unique project and training site in Brownsburg, Ind. The site will be a collaborative hub with a focus on automo-tive engineering projects and customized training for Sandvik Coromant customers.
Michael Wheeler
Industry News See Page 8
May 16–18, 2017West Springfield, MA
RESERVE YOUR EXHIBIT SPACE TODAY. Connect with thousands of Northeast manufacturing decision-makers in various industries.
Official Media Sponsor
Time is running out to register for the MFG Meeting, the event where manufacturing leaders find insight, networking, inspiration and new ideas. Join us March 22-25, 2017, at the Omni Amelia Island Planta-tion in Amelia Island, Fla.
The agenda features presenta-tions on new industrial technolo-gies, leadership skills, and eco-nomic and market data specific to the industry. Our speaker lineup includes:
John WalkerChief Economist, Oxford Economics
Offers analysis and forecasts for key end-user markets in manufac-turing, as well as insight into the
new administration’s proposed policies and plans for tax reform.
Laurie HarbourPresident & CEO, Harbour Results Inc.
Focuses on the contract machine shop market, as well as provides an in-depth look at conditions for the oil and gas industry.
Kirk RogersTechnology LeaderGE’s Center for Additive Technology Advancement
Discusses how additive manufacturing is changing the economics of manufacturing, how you can incorporate additive into your business, and how GE is pushing its limits.
Douglas WoodsAMT President
Outlines the competitive technologies you need to know that are leading the way for manufac-turing, from machine learning and the IIoT to the digital thread and generative design.
The MFG Meeting offers plenty of networking opportunities including breakfasts, receptions, dinners, a golf outing on the award-winning Ocean Links course, the Miles for Manufactur-ing 5K and a dinner dance on Saturday night. There is ample time to reconnect with your colleagues and make new introductions.
Don’t delay! Register today at www.theMFGmeeting.com.
Knowledge is power – gain insight and more at the MFG Meeting
Regional shows Cont’d from page 1
Why EASTEC?May 16-18, West Springfield, Mass.
With nearly 1.4 million manufacturing employees within driving distance of the show, EASTEC is where industry profes-sionals go to research and purchase the latest advanced manufacturing technology. Since 1979, its first year, the show has drawn more than 450,000 attendees looking for new suppliers and business partners. EASTEC has a focus on robot and metal additive technologies, jet engine components, IIoT, and artificial intelligence.http://www.easteconline.com
Why WESTEC?Sept. 12-14, Los Angeles, Calif.
Southern California’s manufac-turing industry has a strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The University of Southern Califor-nia’s new Center for Advanced
Manufacturing in downtown Los Angeles reflects the region’s dedication to the industry. To ensure an optimal mix of visitors, WESTEC features significant enhancements to give exhibitors exposure to more prospective buyers:• Targeted outreach to Southern
California manufacturers• Tailored events aimed at specific
customer segments, like “Job Shop Night”
• Expanded park and ride pro-gram, with Wi-Fi, to make getting to and from WESTEC easy. (Pick-up locations: Wood-land Hills, Palmdale, Pomona, Anaheim and San Diego)
http://www.westeconline.com
Why SOUTH-TEC?Oct. 24-26, Greenville, S.C.
The Southeast is experiencing exceptional growth in aerospace, automotive, advanced materials and workforce development, making it a major location for advanced manufacturing. Nearly 95 percent of SOUTH-TEC attendees
are from the Southeast region and 72 percent influence equipment purchases. Due to overwhelming demand, SOUTH-TEC has already expanded its show floor. http://www.southteconline.com Research-based decisions
AMT and SME are working to provide regional shows that create the experience attendees desire and the ROI that exhibitors expect. The two associations are conducting market research and holding focus groups to identify improvement opportunities. The resulting insights will ensure that we provide the best show, learning and marketing experience available to the users and sellers of manufacturing technology. The first event, HOUSTEX, Feb. 28 to March 2, was the kick-off location for the focus groups.If you are interested in providing feedback or participating in market research, contact Bonnie Gurney, Director – Industry Partnerships, at 703-827-5277 or [email protected].
Page 6 AMT NEWS/March 2017
Tech Time…
For upcoming ANSI B11 and ISO machinery safety meetings, go to www.b11standards.org
Contact Dave Felinski, B11 Standards, Inc., at [email protected]
for updated information.
A few weeks ago, I went to my first IMTEX, as well as my first trip to India. The 2017 IMTEX further introduced me to our association col-leagues at the Indian Machine Tool Manufac-turers Association (IMTMA), provided a glimpse into “doing business in India,” and also allowed me to see the level (and type) of demand for MTConnect. It was a great trip on all accounts!
India, much like the rest of the world, has begun a concerted effort to advance their state of manufacturing. Again, much like the rest of the world, they are using government policies, public-private partnerships and their industrial associations to do so. The Indian government has titled their national initiative “Make in India.”
With a selection of 25 industrial sectors, Make in India spans the entire nation but there is a focused network from Pune to Chennai that includes five industrial corridors; technology centers providing the venues for
collaboration and focused research. While most corridors are still in the planning stages, interest is rising as the initiative gains momentum.
After walking the IMTEX floor, participat-ing in the international seminar and talking to colleagues, my take-aways are these: 1)
advancing manufacturing is a national priority; 2) understand-ing data and its role in manufac-turing is on the minds of just about everyone; however, 3) achieving data-driven manu-facturing solutions is still in a high-potential phase.
The prologue to IMTEX was the International Seminar on Machining Technologies where the focus seemed to be on two things, both seemingly used as examples. The first was a national framework to guide an advanced manufactur-ing strategy. In this case, Germa-ny’s Industry 4.0 was the most prevalent. The second was how to enact such a strategy. In that case the United Kingdom’s Catapult system highlighted by the Univer-
Tim ShinbaraV.P. - Manufacturing
Technology
Advanced manufacturing’s growing place in Indiasity of Sheffield’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Center took center stage.
AMT and the MTConnect Institute were invited to speak at the International Seminar on Machining Technologies, as well as privately with the IMTMA board members and invited guests. I took that opportunity to clarify that MTConnect was the key enabler of Industry 4.0 and that the space that MTConnect occupies is nation and strategy agnostic. It is fundamental to any manufacturing interoper-ability/interconnectivity solution. The message seemed well-received and was welcomed.
All in all, India has a great appetite for advanced manufac-turing technologies and has an opportunity with deep roots in the IT sector to parlay those into real business opportunities using American technology. It is an interesting market to stay engaged in and it was said many times that what India is looking for are long-term partners in their endeavor to reach their potential.For more information about this article, please contact Tim Shin-bara at [email protected] or phone at 703-827-5243.
Last November I had the pleasure of attending FABTECH 2016 in Las Vegas. As one would assume when visiting Vegas, I saw quite a bit. One of the coolest things was a demonstration differentiating hydraulic presses vs. servo presses.
Upon entering the metal-forming area of the central hall at Las Vegas Convention Center, I was greeted by a lofty machine. Being relatively new to the industry, I had only ever seen a machine of this sort in print and online. It was my first time seeing one in person … Vegas, man. A gentleman asked me if I was familiar with servo presses; I was not. He then proceeded to show me how a hydraulic press operates.
He placed stock material near the bottom of the machine, closed the safeguarding, and then pressed a red button. In the blink of an eye, the top portion of the
Comparing servo presses vs. traditional hydraulic presses
By Stephen LaMarca AMT Manufacturing Technology Analyst
machine came crashing down onto the stock. It was fast, loud, and from what I could tell, powerful enough to crack the building’s foundation … it didn’t, but it felt like it. The pressed part was removed, as well as the scrap metal. Our presenter then announced he was switching the machine’s mode to demonstrate a servo press; this particular machine that would be used for both demonstrations was in fact capable of both hydraulic and servo pressing.
This is where things got interesting. He placed another piece of stock material, closed the safeguard, and again pressed the red button. Again, the top assem-bly of the machine came careening down towards the workpiece but seemed to slow down right before impact, and then gently pressed
out a part. There was zero drama. The entire servo operation was nearly silent with minimal vibration. One of the best things about the comparison: the two parts, although made with different pressing operations were downright identical.
The demonstration left a lasting impression in my mind. Upon returning from Vegas, I conducted some follow-up research to verify what I had witnessed. An evaluation of the two technologies is laid out in the table above.
Like any other technology or tool comparison, there is no general answer for which one is better. In the end, it depends on the job or range of different jobs one needs the machine to do. Viva Las Vegas!
Technology Hydraulic Servo
High Torque @ Low RPM 1 0
High Torque @ High RPM 0 1
Variable and Reversible RPM 0 1
Virtually Silent Operation 0 1
Proven Track Record 1 0
Total 2 3
®
UpdateBy Russell Waddell Managing Director, MTConnect Institute rwaddell@AMTonline .org
@mtconnect
Are you interested in shaping the future of MTConnect? Working groups within the MTConnect Technical Advisory Group (TAG) are a great way to get involved, and they encompass a wide variety of topics and technologies.
The MTConnect standard is developed by the TAG, which is made up of equipment providers, software companies, and end users of manufacturing tech and meets quarterly. Within the TAG, smaller working groups take ideas from conception to initial drafts and data models for inclusion in the MTConnect standard. The working groups conduct business primarily via web meeting, and each is chaired by a volunteer from the Technical Advisory Group. Mem-bership in the TAG, which is free, is required to participate in working groups. Several established and new working groups are currently seeking new contributors.
The Measurement joint working group with the Dimen-sional Metrology Standards Consortium is focused on covering quality and inspection data in the MTConnect standard, which are key concepts required to ultimately relate machining and other discrete manufacturing processes to other product lifecycle steps: upstream to design or engineering; downstream from finishing operations; to shipping all the way to the customer.
There is also an OPC Com-panion Specification joint working group with the OPC Foundation. After the initial release of the OPC Unified Architecture, the OPC Foundation produced a companion specifica-tion for MTConnect. This joint
working group is focused on updating and improving that companion specification.
The Additive Working Group works to enhance the ways in which the MTConnect standard and schema handle data items that are specific to additive manufacturing machines and processes.
Other working groups directly expanding the scope of the standard are Parts, Machine Tools, EDM, Files, and Interfaces.
In addition, several working groups are primarily adding indirect support to the standard. The Education Working Group is developing curriculum, course materials, and learning tools for the MTConnect community. The Functionality Working Group is working toward more seamless implementation of the standard and paths to a certification program. The Security Working Group is working on the overarch-ing concerns and best practices for cyber physical security with respect to MTConnect.
www.mtconnect.org/working-groups – MTConnect working groups home page.
www.mtconnect.org/join – MTConnect Institute member-ship application. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) member-ship is required to participate in a working group.
http://projects.mtconnect.org – Project management for MTConnect standard develop-ment is handled via the projects site. TAG members can access shared documents, find presen-tations and notes from past TAG meetings, or review/add issues or feature requests. Login required.
Email Russ Waddell ([email protected]) to get involved in a work-ing group, find out about TAG membership or learn more.
MTConnect working groups seek contributors
Tech Time…
To register for the run, select the M4M option when registering for the MFG Meeting,
www.MFGmeeting.com .
To be a sponsor for the M4M, contact Bill Herman at 703-827-5282 or bherman@
AMTonline.org .
Follow Miles for Manufacturing on Facebook: www.facebook.com/miles4mfg/
As a newcomer to the manufacturing technology industry, Stephen offers a basic introduction to common technologies.
March 2017/AMT NEWS Page 7
Ed Christopher V.P. - Global Services
International Report… Global Services
China See Page 8
Harry XiaoGeneral Manager
Shanghai Technology Center
According to the IMF World Economic Outlook, China’s 2016 GDP growth was 6.7 percent, the fastest rate in the world. Both auto and truck sales are considered an important indicator of consumer demand. In 2016, China’s automobile sales reached a new record level of 28.02 million cars sold, which is about a 13.7 percent increase from 2015.
The biggest change in the Chinese automobile market is that China’s domestic brand automobile sales reached 10.53 million cars, a 20 percent increase from 2015. The biggest news is about Chinese automobile manufacturer Geely Motor, which has utilized its acquisition of Volvo’s advanced technologies, designs and production control systems to greatly improve Geely’s domestic cars. Two Chinese motor companies, Chang’an and Great Wall, posted 2016 sales increases
Opportunities in China's automotive industryof 27.6 percent and 26 percent respectively.
In the near future, there will be a 7.1 percent average increase in China’s automobile market from 2015 to 2020, according to Nielsen research.
To match the growing car market, major automobile companies are still
investing in China to increase their output. For example:1. Volkswagen is building new
plants in Tianjin and Qingdao cities. The Qingdao’s first phase investment was US $2.11 billion, with a production capacity of 300,000 cars, including stamp-ing/welding/painting/assembly. When completed, the plant will cover more than 500,000 square meters for all three phases of new cars and SUVs. By March 2018, the first phase plant will start production.
2. Honda is investing in a new plant in Wuhan city. On Dec. 8, 2016,
Honda invested US $0.44 bil-lion to build their fifth plant with the goal of producing 120,000 cars per year by 2019.
3. Toyota is building a new pro-duction line in its Guangzhou plant. In March 2016, Toyota started to build their third pro-duction line with a capacity of 220,000 cars.
4. General Motors is investing in a new plant in Wuhan city. Investment is about US $1 bil-lion with a production capacity of 240,000 cars.
5. Hyundai has built two new plants in Changzhou and Chongqing cites.
6. Ford’s fourth new plant will be complete in 2017 to increase Ford’s total production capacity to 1.2 million cars.
7. French PSA is building its fourth new plant to increase their total production capacity to 1.05 million cars.
8. Borgward Group AG is investing
We have some exciting news in Global Services. After a rather lengthy search we now have a new Director, Marcel Beraud, to be based in our McLean, Va., headquarters. Marcel comes to us with more than 30 years of international manufac-turing operations experience. He is a true global business professional speaking five languages and possessing extensive experience in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
Marcel holds a manufactur-ing engineering degree from UCLA and has a strong back-ground in the electronics and automotive sectors. Prior to joining AMT, he held leadership positions at FCI Electronics, Tyco, Dana Holding, and Resource Global Professionals. He is an industry specialist in continuous improvement programs and, while at Dana Holding Corp., was responsible for the global develop-ment and deployment of their Dana Operating System, which is modeled after the Toyota Produc-tion System. Marcel has compre-
Global Services has a new director
Marcel Beraud
hensive experience with lean manufactur-ing, business process improvement, supply chain management, quality assurance, value stream mapping, total productive maintenance, and holds a Six Sigma certifica-tion and is a Lean Leader.
“We feel very fortunate to have found Marcel and connected his extensive manufacturing and international business experience to AMT’s strong Global Services group. This will really accelerate our members' ability to learn about and enter new markets,” said Doug Woods, President of AMT.
Marcel will contribute to the continued development, direc-tion, and performance of the Global Services products and offerings. He will work closely with the International Tech Centers to help increase member awareness and participation. As a Global Services Director, Marcel will be involved with Business Review Days, international shows, AMT committees, acquiring international market intelligence, global industry advocacy, and overall member engagement.
“I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be part of such a dynamic organization as AMT,” said Beraud. “I’m looking forward to working with our members across the country to apply my capabilities to support them as they seek ways to expand their businesses internationally and domestically.”
We are thrilled to have Marcel join Team AMT and he looks forward to meeting you!
If the 2017 Super Bowl champi-ons played the 1967 Super Bowl champions, what would be the outcome? Most likely, it would be a rout – a basketball score for the winner, possibly a triple digit score. The great Vince Lombardi Packers destroyed by the Patriots – how could that be? It would happen through 50 years of nonstop competitive evolution.
When the only thing you do is compete and spend all your waking hours, in fact your entire life, trying to win – you get better, a lot better. The size, strength, speed and quickness of just the linemen, whether on offense or defense, would be a great enough advantage for the Super Bowl 51 champs to destroy the Packers of '67. Think of your own organizations and how they have evolved over time. How did they change? I have 30-plus years of history at my company to reflect on that thought. The evolution of change and innovation has been equally as great as my NFL example. Comparing where we were when I started, it just blows me away how far we have come.
I love competition and I am wired to compete, sometimes to a fault. I recall trash talking to my seven-year-old son during a game of
Chutes and Ladders. That’s just how warped an untethered competitor can be. I wonder what I did to my son’s psyche from those early competitions? He is 26 now and I think he turned out OK, I say tongue in cheek with a question mark.
During high school I would cut classes so I could work out more to be more competitive. In college, all I cared about was competing. School was for sports, right? I competed in two sports during college, an individual sport in the spring and a team sport in the fall. I much preferred team sports as they relate to life and just the overall dynamic, a team win is an indescribable feeling. We may see business as war but I prefer to use the sport/competition analogy as it is less violent.
In business, I have the same mindset – COMPETE! There are times that I go through a phase of an overflow of operational and bureaucratic noise and I lose my way, mired in what I don’t like to be involved in. This barrage of cacoph-ony waters down and usurps my competitive spirit. The fact is I am writing this article to reenergize my passion for competition to get those innovation juices flowing! All of you reading this have had this happen to you – weighed down by the junk of running a business.
I am in many ways a person of
the glass-half-full group. If my company were cheese, it would be Swiss cheese, because all I see are the holes. The empty spaces of our ineffectiveness. For a competitor, that just means an opportunity to get stronger, because a competitor never rests on his laurels.
Do I respect my business competitors? I not only respect them, I need them. We need competition and in the absence of competition, I think a good manager will manufacture it. My overall won/lost record is probably not very good with the caveat that I always think of a loss as an educa-tion. I can apply those lessons to both myself and my company’s evolution. I am always on the lookout for the next “business athlete” who can join our team. I do my best to recruit for those types. You know the kind of person I mean; they are a lot like YOU.
I will leave you with three quotes:
“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
– Vince Lombardi“Avoid your competitor’s strength, and attack their weakness.”
– Paraphrased from Sun Tzu“If you just think you are good – you are gonna get your butt kicked.” – Don Davies
Competition: The lifeblood that makes us betterGlobal Marketing & Sales Committee – Lessons Learned
By Don Davies – Vice President DP Technology Corp .
Page 8 AMT NEWS/March 2017
Located inside NHRA’s Don Schumacher Racing’s headquarters, the new site will be one of three major U.S. sites for Sandvik Coromant. With a full-time project engineer specializing in automotive process engineering and dedicated machines, the site will serve as a major hub for customer engineering projects, as well as basic and advanced train-ing. Similar to the other major sites in Fair Lawn, N.J., and Schaumburg, Ill., the new site will host general metalcutting knowledge classes, but will also focus on specialized and customized automotive training.
Registration is now open for the 2017 Third Wave Systems Interna-tional Users Conference, May 16-18, in Indianapolis, Ind. (http://www.thirdwavesys.com/events/). The conference heads to Indy this year to bring together the very best in machining and machining analysis from the top aerospace, automotive, medical and cutting tool companies, as well as members of their own engineering team. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the world’s most legendary sports venues and during the TWS Users Conference attendees will have the opportunity to watch the drivers practicing for the Indy 500 during the offsite net-working reception on May 17.
Western Gage Corporation is pleased to announce that they have been granted ISO/IEC 17025:2005 accreditation by the American Association for Labo-ratory Accreditation (A2LA). The achievement of A2LA accreditation demonstrates an organization’s competence to manage and perform the activities defined by its Scope of Accreditation (A2LA Certificate # 4174.01). For Western Gage, these activities include calibration of Plain Ring & Plug Gages, Length Gages, Air Gage Readouts, Air Gaging Systems and Magnification Orifice Kits.
Greg JonesV.P. - Smartforce Development
By Denny Leonard, CMTSE President AME, Inc .
Over the past eight years, the whole national conversation around STEM educa-tion, the overall employment picture and the issue of a skills gap in manufacturing has translated into a distinct focus on career and technical education and training from inside the beltway in D.C.
We’ve seen investments in grants to community colleges designed to improve workforce development and manufacturing technology degree programs, as well as reinvestments in appren-ticeship programs.
Since January 20, Washing-ton has been in a period of transition (you may have heard that already); certainly, we’re seeing changes at the cabinet level in most departments, including the Department of Education and the Department of Labor, as well as the Employment and Training Administration.
For some policies, we believe we will see a continuation of programs and investments. At the Department of Education, there will be a move toward school choice with new Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Already in 2017, industry advocates including AMT have signed on to letters sent to the Trump administration and
members of Congress to push for a facelift to the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and to “allocate adequate resources to ensure our country’s CTE programs can take full advantage of newly reinvigorated CTE law.” Last year, the U.S.
House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve a reauthorization of Perkins.
In February, Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation called Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students Act, aka the JOBS Act, which would expand Pell grants for low-income students to make them available for job-training programs in addition to college tuition.
Additionally, the senators are planning to reintroduce the Educating Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, a bill that was originally introduced in 2014 to improve the quality of CTE programs by providing access to newer state-of-the-art equipment, and setting minimum standards that would allow students to transfer their credits and earn credentials based on today’s national industry-supported standards.
As you might already be aware, the Department of Labor contracted with NIMS last fall as
an industry intermediary in a new round of investments in Appren-ticeshipUSA. A number of AMT members are working with NIMS on jump-starting apprenticeships at their companies in the machin-ist and field service technician job functions. For more information, visit www.mfgapprenticeship.com.
When the new Secretary of Labor and staff takes over at DOL, we’re asking our members to continue to advocate with your congressional representatives to assure that House and Senate members will ask DOL to support ApprenticeshipUSA.
The landscape for assuring that we have access to a qualified and skilled workforce in manu-facturing is a crowded one where we are competing with many other industries for a limited talent pool. As the political landscape changes in Washing-ton, we have to redouble our efforts in order to have policy-makers focus on the issues that matter to U.S. manufacturing. It starts with excellence in educa-tion and training policy that leads young people to good, high-pay-ing jobs in a high-technology industry.For more frequent updates about Smartforce Development, follow @GregoryAJones on Twitter, and maybe have your company tweet at the president too. You know you can find him there.
Policy mattersGreat opportunities in 2017 for AMT builders and distributors
Our standard of living is directly related to our ability to create durable goods. The talk of encouraging more manufacturing in the United States will support an increase in the U.S. standard of living. Lowering regulations and taxes as being proposed at the federal level will increase manufac-turing’s financial (GDP) performance.
AMT members, who are manufacturers or importers of machine tools, fabricating equip-ment and related products, provide production capability to the U.S. manufacturing sector. With these companies lies the processing capabilities for the manufacturing community. The people, equipment and knowledge bases of AMT members address multiple disciplines.
The world of mechanical parts manufacturing (subtractive or additive) and the sales and service of the necessary equipment is increasingly tied to digital technolo-gies and quick response. Distribu-tion by definition is nimble and best at adopting and providing the correct technology to the end user. People still buy from people whether face to face or online.
The future of manufacturing is
likely to follow agriculture – em-ploying fewer people, with high-tech automation doing much of the production, which is the real engine of wealth creation. Distributors and builders working in tandem on a partnership basis (creating a team) can best support the emerging future, which in reality is coming into your marketplace now.
AMT members who are engaged in distribution have the ability to analyze customer needs and work with the customer and the builder to find the correct solutions.
Distributors hire and train locally the engineering staff that can install and service machine tools. This support makes for a successful installation and a successful service life. Distributors act as the communication conduit between the builder and the customer/user. Distributors live and work next to the users and are very responsive on a local level. They best support the ongoing customer/user business needs. Distribution localizes the product.
Ongoing training is a most important factor for both builders and distributors who need to maintain an up-to-date exchange of information, in all its forms.
Industry News Cont’d from Page 5
We want to hear from you! What’s happening at your company? When you send out a press release (or just have some interesting news), please email information to [email protected]. To add your news to AMTonline, go to www.AMTonline.org/membercms.
US $2.9 billion in Jiaxing city to produce 500,000 cars per year.
9. GAC Group will invest US $235 million in Urumchi to build an automobile plant with 100,000 unit production capacity.
Auto parts projects and investments also create large orders for machine tools. In addition to the famous auto parts manufacturers like Bosch, Delphi, and Continental in China, there are many other opportunities in the auto parts industry:
1. German parts company Brose will build a new plant in Taichang city to produce car doors, window adjustments, door lockers, car seats, and electrical motors.
2. Cooper-Standard is building a new plant in Kunshan and Shenyang cities to produce coolant systems and pumps, fuel systems, braking systems, shock absorbers and sealing.
3. TE Connectivity is investing US $100 million for the second phase of its plans in Suzhou City to produce automobile connectors, sensors and electri-cal parts.
How can you catch these opportunities? AMT’s Shanghai Tech Center offers a monthly sales leads report. This report includes scaled investment projects in China. These projects are listed with information like the order of machines, industry sector, and geographic area, for your easy screening. They are also graded for three levels of urgency: those that need immediate attention, ones that need some follow up, and ones that are in the more distant future.
The sales leads report is published monthly to STC active members as an added value service, and it is also available for non-STC members as an a la carte service.
For more information, please feel free to contact Harry Xiao, General Man-ager for the AMT Shanghai Tech Cen-ter ([email protected]).
China Cont’d from page 7
Cont’d from page 3
For any Road Warrior, this location tool is a must.
Toodledo is easy to get up and running. Just go to Toodledo.com and sign up. The basic Toodledo package is free, and while it is limited with regard to the features, it’s a good way for you to give Toodledo a test drive. Next, go to your app store and download the free Toodledo app. It takes just a few minutes to set everything up, then synch your devices and you’re off and running. If you really like using Toodledo basic and want more, you can upgrade the service to either Silver $14.99, Gold $29.99 or Platinum for $89.99 per year. Each upgrade adds and/or expands a few more features. I am a Silver user because my lists can be longer than in the basic version, I can create graphs, and I can customize my alarms. I think being this organized is well worth the annual fee. Become a Toodledo user today and you’ ll be organized like never before. [email protected]