Next Generation Manufacturing Event Brings Top Manufacturing Leaders to Georgia (1)
NEXT GENERATION MANUFACTURING EVENT BRINGS TOP MANUFACTURING LEADERS TO GEORGIA
Executives from Lockheed Martin, Shaw Industries, TOTO USA and Kia Motors share the speaker’s platform to discuss innovation
ATLANTA (September 20, 2011) – The inaugural Next Generation Manufacturing event, taking place October 18, 2011, is set to showcase the manufacturing renaissance that the U.S. is poised to experience, as more manufacturers pioneer new products and processes and more jobs are staying in America or being brought back. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet, hear from and interact with senior executives from world-leading manufacturers, discussing top innovation methods and successes.
William L. Strang, Senior Vice President of Operations TOTO, and one of the notable speakers at the Next Generation Manufacturing event, says: “Innovation has been the hallmark of our product and process evolution over the past 10 years. TOTO uses lifecycle assessment as a very important methodology to establish the metrics for continuous improvement and reduction in cost. We have been able to blend the best attributes of what Georgia has to offer with the product and process innovations to allow us to be sustainable and competitive in today’s market.”
“The type of innovation that Mr. Strang mentions is the genesis of Next Generation Manufacturing, fueling a renaissance in the U.S. today,” says Richard Kopelman, visionary behind the event and partner at Atlanta-based accounting and business advisory firm Habif, Arogeti & Wynne. “Recent news reports show that major manufacturing brands, like Wham-O, NCR, and Ford Motors can better innovate and service their customers by manufacturing in the U.S. as opposed to off-shoring. There’s a clear correlation between innovation and job growth.”
A survey recently released by Reuters and MFG.com shows that 40% of North American manufacturers with off-shored production are investigating bringing that work back to the U.S. by 2012. This is further evidence supporting a U.S. manufacturing renaissance.
The Oct. 18 event, to be hosted at the Georgia Tech Research Institute Conference Center (GTRI), will feature talks by prominent manufacturing business leaders. Speakers include:
- Lockheed Martin’s Michael Joyce, senior VP of operations and programs
- TOTO USA’s Bill Strang, senior VP of operations
- Shaw Industries CEO Vance Bell
- KIA Motors Manufacturing’s Randy Jackson, VP of human resources and administration
Georgia Tech also will provide a rare opportunity to tour three of its premier research centers: the Manufacturing Research Center (MaRC), the Institute of Paper Science and Technology (IPST), and the Food Processing Technology Division Center. Tours will be guided by research center faculty and graduate students involved in innovation projects now under development.
Registration is $99 and open to manufacturing executives and senior management or directors of manufacturing companies. To register, visit the event website:WWW.NEXTGENERATIONMFG.ORG
The Platinum sponsors of the event are: Georgia’s largest independent accounting firm Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, Microsoft Gold Certified Partner I.B.I.S., Inc. and the international corporate law firm Paul Hastings, LLP. Gold sponsor of the event is The McCart Group. Silver sponsors include the Centers for Innovation for Manufacturing, Definity Partners, HPWP Consulting, and PNC Bank.
Additional supporters of the event include: Georgia Association of Manufacturers, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Quick Start, Technical College System of Georgia, U.S. Department of Commerce – U.S. Export Assistance Center, and What’s Up Interactive.
For more information, contact Regina Maddox, Executive Director of Next Generation Manufacturing, atREGINA.MADDOX@HAWCPA.COMor 404.431.6612 or visitWWW.NEXTGENERATIONMFG.ORG