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 Manufacturing Innovation Blog Powered by the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
 MEP National Network When a Friendly Check-In Call Changes Your Career Path
                        February 21, 2024As CEO of International Filter Manufacturing Corporation (IFM), I lead an air filtration manufacturing and distribution company that serves customers worldwide
 North Carolina MEP Brought Me Back Home 25 Years Ago
                        February 2, 2024As Director of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP), located on the campus of North Carolina State University (NC State) in Raleigh
 Integrating Sustainability: Insights from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council
                        February 1, 2024Manufacturers are under increasing pressure from consumers, retailers, investors, and regulatory agencies to act on sustainability and to verify the
 Mapping Your Supply Chains Helps Prioritize Risks, Actions
                        January 16, 2024As a manufacturer you understand that supply chain disruptions happen all the time. What you don’t know is when or how they will impact your operation and
 Precision Machine & Manufacturing Improves Oversight, Production and Sales Processes Through Continuous Improvement Principles
                        January 9, 2024Precision Machine & Manufacturing (PMM) was established in 1997. Based in Eugene, Oregon, this manufacturer has been setting the industry standards for
 Increasing C-Suite Financial Literacy for Manufacturing Success
                        January 3, 2024Without a basic grasp of financial concepts at the C-suite (executive) level, small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) may be limited in their ability to
 What You Should Know About the Supply Chain Optimization and Intelligence Network
                        December 21, 2023The 51 Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers that make up the MEP National NetworkTM work to enhance the competitiveness of small and medium-sized
 Need a Green Workforce? Look No Further than the Manufacturing Extension Partnership
                        December 18, 202345% annual growth. It’s a number that could make any workforce or economic development professional’s eyes pop out of their sockets. I was literally blown away
 FastLane Helps Triangle Precision Increase Capacity With Automation
                        December 8, 2023Triangle Precision, located in Kettering, Ohio, provides close tolerance precision machining, forming, and fabrication to many vital industries including
 Video: Heroes of American Manufacturing – Mayville Engineering
                        November 22, 2023Small and medium-sized manufacturers know that employees are their most important asset. Without employee commitment, no company can succeed. Mayville
 Illuminating Possibilities to Achieve ISO Certification
                        November 7, 2023Enova Illumination, a client of Enterprise Minnesota (Minnesota MEP), is a leading provider of LED surgical headlights, magnification systems, and other
 10 Ways TWI Supports Employee Engagement and Retention
                        October 18, 2023Workforce challenges these days are never-ending, not just for manufacturers but across the business spectrum. You have to be on top of your game to be
 Find Unique Workforce Solutions for Your Firm: A New Interactive Map Showcases MEP National Network Workforce Programs, Services and Trainings
                        October 12, 2023How can small firms without in-house expertise help their staff learn new skills? It’s not easy when resources are tight and staff are pulled in a million
 Building the Future Workforce on Manufacturing Day, Oct. 6
                        October 6, 2023Young adults have many choices when it comes to their future careers. Some have a clear career path in mind, whether it’s pursuing a college degree, enlisting
 Cost Containment Review Will Save Money, Provide Supply Chain Resiliency
                        September 19, 2023Like many manufacturers, you may feel you are paying fair prices to your suppliers. Maybe you have a strong procurement team, great relationships with your
 Video: Heroes of American Manufacturing – ZAGO Manufacturing
                        September 13, 2023ZAGO Manufacturing is an award-winning, woman-owned business that began in 1993 at the New Jersey Institute of Technology Enterprise Development Center small
 NEW GUIDE: MEP National Network Workforce Programs, Services and Trainings
                        September 8, 2023It’s no longer news that many manufacturers find it difficult to attract and retain enough skilled employees. The nationwide manufacturing talent shortage and
 Want to Replicate the German Apprenticeship Model? Look No Farther Than Cleveland for Inspiration
                        August 24, 2023When I first started at MAGNET (part of the Ohio MEP ) in 2015, I walked into my new office, and there was a whitepaper sitting on my desk. In it, our former
 Manufacturing Day: Changing People’s Perceptions
                        August 15, 2023Manufacturing Day, or MFG Day, has grown to mean many things since it was officially proclaimed in 2012 . Some celebrate on the first Friday in October with an
 Adrianne Kroll: Be Open to Opportunities That Take You in New Directions
                        August 9, 2023This blog is part of a series to celebrate and share the stories of Black American manufacturing leaders. Adrianne Kroll says she kind of stumbled into
 “The Creativity was Just Bursting!” – Recapping FireWorks 2023
                        July 31, 2023When America Works started and I was charged with creating the MEP National Network’s first-ever workforce conference, I set for myself one simple goal: create
 Video: Heroes of American Manufacturing – Hope & Main, Making Dreams Reality
                        July 25, 2023Hope & Main, a Rhode Island culinary business incubator, helps make dreams reality for people who want to start or own a food or beverage business. One of the
 Building the Career Path for the New Generation of Rosie Riveters
                        July 19, 2023By 2028, American manufacturers could be facing a shortage of 2.4 million workers – and because of this the country could be facing potentially nearly half a
 Have Lemons? Make Lemonade!
                        July 11, 2023The world economy went into a tailspin in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to face a new normal. From changes in the marketplace to
 Miriam Kmetzo: Passionate About Performance Excellence
                        June 8, 2023This blog is part of series recognizing the contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders to the manufacturing industry. Born and
 8 Ways to Improve Your Supplier Selection Process
                        May 30, 2023Many manufacturers have had to make significant changes in suppliers in recent years because of various disruptions. Small and medium-sized manufacturers are
 Seriously, Drop What You’re Doing and Launch this Manufacturing Youth Engagement Program Right Now.
                        May 24, 2023A manufacturing youth engagement program that excites local businesses, offers templates and guidance to effectively launch in new regions, has a 10-year track
 George Chao: From His Own Startup to Helping Other Startups in Silicon Valley
                        May 18, 2023This blog is part of series recognizing the contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders to the manufacturing industry. George Chao
 Bayne Beecher: Everyone Can Have a Seat at the Manufacturing Table
                        May 9, 2023This blog is part of a series to celebrate and share the stories of Black American manufacturing leaders. Bayne Beecher has more than 25 years of manufacturing
 Recommendations From Germany
                        April 27, 2023This blog is part of a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the growth of
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 About this blog Manufacturing Innovation, the blog of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), is a resource for manufacturers, industry experts and the public on key U.S. manufacturing topics. There are articles for those looking to dive into new strategies emerging in manufacturing as well as useful information on tools and opportunities for manufacturers. The views presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of NIST. If you have any questions about our blog, please contact us at mfg [at] nist.gov(mfg[at]nist[dot]gov).
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