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January 29, 2009…The Great Manufacturing Get Together succeeded in drawing big crowds—over 700 registered attendees from around the state converged on the Hennepin Technical College campus in Brooklyn Park to participate in this year’s event organized by Manufacturing Success. Manufacturers, the associations that support them and industry stakeholders convened for a day of sourcing suppliers, networking and entertainment.
Exhibitor Tom Roering, president of Wilcraft, Inc., said “What an amazing event. There was more excitement and energy at that show than any other show we've attended.”
Experts from around the nation came to educate on manufacturing processes such as milling, turning, grinding and shop safety as well as better business practices that included recruiting, training and credentialing the workforce. There were over 30 breakout sessions in all.
Star power was also part of the Great Manufacturing Get Together. John Ratzenberger, founder and spokesperson of Nuts, Bolts and Thingamajigs (an FMA foundation), met with manufacturers and was a guest on the evening talk show, Jim Benson Live! Mr. Ratzenberger visited Dunwoody Academy, a charter school in North Minneapolis that, along with an enhanced standards-based curriculum, provides career-focused training in four industries, including manufacturing. In addition, Mr. Ratzenberger toured Ultra Machines (UMC), a Monticello-based manufacturer to the aerospace, automotive and medical device industries.
“It was so refreshing to see a guy that came from Hollywood be so tuned into what we are doing in manufacturing. John's focus and drive in promoting manufacturing and educating our nation’s youth in the opportunities that manufacturing has to offer is clear to see. There is hope for us manufacturers with people like John leading the way! We had great fun with John after the plant tour taking time to share some stories over cake and coffee,” said Randy Hatcher, Vice-President, UMC.
Students from high school and college involved with the Midwest Robotic League held a scheduled competition. When not competing, these students had time to visit with recruiters at colleges and universities from around the state exhibiting there.
As an extension of the event, Manufacturing Success brought in Brennan Palmiter, a 17-year-old race car driver, welder and fabricator from Florida. Brennan opted for dual enrollment to graduate from high school early and is earning certificates in welding and fabrication towards completing his degree at a technical college. Brennan spoke to over 400 Minnesota high school students convened at eight technical colleges promoting careers in manufacturing and offering an opportunity to win one of 25 $500 scholarships to attend their choice of technical colleges. These scholarships are provided by the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association Foundation.
The Great
Manufacturing Get Together has made a difference. Nancy
Schubert, Director, Bachelor of Applied Science, University of Minnesota,
College of Continuing Education commented, “Thank you so much for the opportunity
to participate in the Great Manufacturing Get Together. GMGT was an excellent
event for connecting with the manufacturing community and building valuable
relationships. We look forward to collaborating with Manufacturing Success to strengthen
manufacturing in Minnesota. Please keep us in mind for future opportunities
where we might serve the needs of community and state.”
Manufacturing Success is
- A Partnership
Bipartisan manufacturing platform inspiring industry collaboration across the Upper Midwest between area associations, educational institutions, OEMs, job shops, manufacturing services providers and state and federal government. - A Regional Quarterly Magazine
A positive voice sharing regional and national information, stories in manufacturing bringing respect and pride to the industry. In each issue of Manufacturing Success we highlight what states are doing to address the needs and concerns of manufacturing. - A Website
Unequalled information platform for industry news and information, a calendar of manufacturing related events, directories of machines tool distributors, manufacturing services, business services, education partners, state and national manufacturing associations, and industry publications, and more. Our media suite provides the vehicle for manufacturing companies to post a virtual tour of their operations.
John Ratzenberger, who played postal worker and bar know-it-all Cliff Clavin on the Cheers TV sitcom, is the headliner for the Great Manufacturing Get Together, a trade show on Jan. 29 in Brooklyn Park. Ratzenberger has continued as a voice actor in animated films, but he’s also become a champion of American manufacturing. He’s hosted a cable TV show on the Travel Channel called Made in America and founded the Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs Foundation in Rockford, Ill., focused on renewing the manufacturing work force. At the Get Together, he’ll speak on the climate for American manufacturers. The event is being put on by Manufacturing Success, the Manufacturers Alliance and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International. The free event will include exhibitors and presentations aimed at manufacturers on topics such as dealing with the economic recession.
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal 01/16/07 - by Sam Black Staff Writer
January 14, 2009: BROOKLYN PARK -- (via press release) -- John Ratzenberger, star of the popular “Cheers” sitcom and a long-standing manufacturing advocate, will participate in The Great Manufacturing Get Together on Jan. 29. Ratzenberger will share his insights on America’s manufacturing climate and the industry’s impact on the nation’s economy. The event – presented by Manufacturing Success, in partnership with the Manufacturer's Alliance of Minnesota and the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association will bring industry members together for lively discussions on trends, challenges and accomplishments, and will feature leaders advancing manufacturing innovation in Minnesota. Attendees will be introduced to emerging technology through panel discussion, education, company exhibition and entertainment. WHEN: Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009 12:00 noon to 7:30 p.m. WHERE: Hennepin Technical College 9000 Brooklyn Blvd. Brooklyn Park, MN 55445 Register today at http://www.GreatManufacturingGetTogether.com.
MinnesotaBusiness.com
It’s an unusually chilly January evening even for hearty Minnesotans, but as they are taking down all the banners the organizers have big grins on their faces. The first annual Great Manufacturing Get Together, brought by Manufacturing Success, Hennepin Technical College and Manufacturers Alliance, comes to a close. Those grins said it all—the Great Get Together was a great success! Hundreds of attendees visited the more than 80 sold-out product and service exhibits in the Manufacturing Vendor Fair, attended open meetings of Manufacturers Alliance, Tri-State Manufacturing Association, and the Minnesota Council for Quality to hear from industry leaders, watched robot combat featuring middle school, high school and college teams, and were in the audience for the premier of the Jim Bensen Live show.
Manufacturing-related companies of all types and drew a continuous flow of people through the Hennepin Technical College North Campus. The nearly 600 attendees included 150 technical college students from across the state that came to connect with shops and industry partners.
The grand finale of the Great Get Together was the Jim Bensen Live show “a la Jay Leno.” Dr. Bensen gave his signature flying overhead presentation in front of an almost full 300-seat auditorium. His monologue drew laughs and applause and his line-up of guests was impressive.
First was Peter Eelman, CEO of IMTS 2008, who drafted a very vivid picture of the next IMTS. The entire show will be staged on one level in all four buildings of the new, expanded McCormick Center in downtown Chicago. New technologies will ensure visitors will get the most out of the 13 miles of aisles and 1.3 million square feet of exhibitor displays.
Senator Coleman was not able to attend in person, but addressed issues facing manufacturing in a video made exclusively for the show. The Senator was interviewed by one of manufacturing’s most respected experts, professor and author Dr. Fred Zimmerman.
Another of Dr. Bensen’s guest was Jim Poole, with the JJ Hill Library. Poole gave a brief history of the long-standing James Hill Library in St Paul and shared an overview of the services in place for business and industry. The library keeps apace of the information required by businesses to plan strategies, benchmark performance, and make smart decisions. Patrons can access both digital and human librarians to locate the right information within the huge resources.
Dr. Bensen’s good friend Andy Wells is a Minnesota inventor, a successful businessman and manufacturer, and a dedicated teacher—especially to Native American populations. He showcased some of his inventions from prototype to market-ready and challenged young people to pursue their ideas rather than folding under the pretext that the business world is too complex. Finally, Don Tomann is the (title) of UMC which was recently honored for its support of employee soldiers serving in Iraq. Tomann traveled to DC to receive the Freedom Award from the hands of President Bush. UMC was founded by Terry Tomann, Don’s father, who instilled in him the importance of moral priorities even when one has important economic responsibilities.
Feedback surveys confirm that the Great Manufacturing Get Together is a winner! January 27, 2009 has been set for the second annual event. Already 90% of the vendors have requested to exhibit next year and associations are requesting to again hold their membership meeting at the event. “We are committed to making the Great Manufacturing Get Together the best it can be for manufacturing,” says Charles Arnold, Manufacturing Success Upper Midwest, “that’s all that matters.”
“Our goal in creating the GMGT is to provide a fun and educational networking venue that is open to all manufacturing”, says Charles Arnold, CEO of Manufacturing Success. “Manufacturing is about creativity and thinking outside the box to find solutions; so why should a manufacturing event be any different.”
The GMGT opens at noon with a Manufacturers Alliance meeting titled “Fun Ways to Engage and Retain Employees”. Remmele Engineering, Wells Technology and Navy Island Plywood will share their unique methods in overcoming workforce shortages and retaining issues. Following this meeting the activities come to life as the vendor fair featuring nearly 100 product and service booths ranging from machine tool distributers to work boots opens it door from 1:30 pm – 6:00 pm.
Throughout the day area non-profit associations will be hold meetings and workshops for their members creating continual traffic flow and unique networking opportunities. In the heart of the event, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm, manufacturing shops will be showcasing their capabilities in the free Shop2Shop exhibit area. Shop2Shop is designed to introduce area companies to potential outsourcing opportunities with their peers.
In the middle of it all, the Midwest Robotics League competitors will be locked in battle as they put their bot design to the test in head to head robot combat matches. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to watch these students learn about manufacturing the way nature intended; with their hands and minds in a real life situation. Shops will also be introduced to the new Shop-Bots league that will allow them to form a team and compete for cash prizes and team sponsorships at the Mall of America, MN State Fair and IMTS 2008 in Chicago where they will go head to head against shop bots from Wisconsin.
A free dinner buffet will be served to all attendee from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm as guest enjoy the final hour of the vendor fair. At 6:00 pm all events will be closed as we prepare for the premier of “Jim Bensen Live”, a sort of manufacturing tonight show. Jim Bensen Live will feature host Dr. James Bensen, a true leader is futuristic thinking and a dynamic speaker who will address the audience and then introduce and interview “celebrities” in the manufacturing world. To date guest include: Peter Eelman, CEO of IMTS 2008, the largest manufacturing tradeshow in the country, Andy Wells, President of Wells Technology, holders of over 300 patents, Don Tomann, president of UMC, recently received an invitation the Whitehouse to personally receive an award from President George W. Bush. Guests pending final confirmation include: Senator Norm Coleman, and Ken Melrose, former CEO of Toro.
The GMGT is free for all manufacturing employees, managers, engineers and shop owners. Attendees that register their attendance by January 18, 2008 will be entered to win a free trip to IMTS 2008 with air, hotel and ground transportation included. Likewise any manufacturing job shop that would like to exhibit in the Shop2Shop Capability Showcase may do so for free as long as we have booths open. Any product or service company that would like to exhibit should contact Manufacturing Success for an exhibitors packet.
Contact Charles Arnold at charles@mfgsuccess.com for more information or to register your attendance.
More information on http://greatmanufacturinggettogether.com
