Ontario, CA – The Manufacturing Council of the Inland Empire (MCIE) is putting the final touches on its 6th Annual Inland Empire Manufacturing Summit scheduled for Friday, Feb. 3 at the Ontario Convention Center. Local businesses confirmed to attend include Brithinee Electric, California Steel Industries and Cott Beverages, as well as over 30 local manufacturers who will display products made in the Inland Empire.
The nearly sold-out summit, expecting an attendance of 500 to 700 people and considered the largest event of its kind in Southern California, will take place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
[ecko_quote source=”Rod Hoover, California Steel Industries and Vice-Chair of the MCIE.”]We know manufacturers are busy people, so we have tried to pack a full day experience into a six-hour event.[/ecko_quote]
The event was designed to provide the opportunity for manufacturers and industry stakeholders to convene and share, discuss and promote latest technology, trends and ideas. In addition, with Donald Trump recently inaugurated as the country’s 45th president, Todd Boppell, COO of the National Association of Manufacturers, will be on hand to discuss the national impact the new administration will have on the industry.
[ecko_quote source=”California Manufacturers & Technology Association President Dorothy Rothrock, “]There is no better place to learn what local manufacturers think about state policies and regulations.[/ecko_quote]
“There is no better place to learn what local manufacturers think about state policies and regulations,” said California Manufacturers & Technology Association President Dorothy Rothrock, who brings a statewide manufacturing perspective to the venue. “It helps me do a better job in Sacramento to improve the business climate, and is a ‘must attend’ for me and my team each year.”
Notable industry participants on the program this year including Rothrock, who will discuss regulation hurdles in manufacturing, are keynote speaker Garry Ridge, president of WD-40 Company, John McGloughlin, CEO of GuardSight and Scott Melton of FANUC America.
Ridge will discuss the impact of manufacturing from an international perspective, while McGloughlin will provide insight into current cyber security threats, risks and a live hacking demonstration, and Melton will lead a discussion on the impact of automation and robotics on manufacturing through Micro-burst sessions.
These newly implemented sessions replace previous lengthy presentations to provide the opportunity for attendees to participate in multiple discussions on topics that hold a popular interest. Each presentation will be concise, and will be explored in depth at regular, monthly MCIE meetings in the future.
“We are trying a new format because people wanted to attend multiple presentations last year that were scheduled at the same time,” explained Summit Chair Deborah Smith. “Now these Micro-burst presentations will be on the main stage, allowing everyone to hear them. We may dig deeper into these topics at our future, monthly meetings.”
A popular feature of the summit is the Innovation Awards, which is including a student category for the first time this year. Manufacturing student teams are in contention for any of the four existing categories:
- Innovation in Resource or Process Efficiency –energy, water and other resources and/or process and flow improvement;
- Innovation in Product Development – products that support business and customer growth and margin improvement;
- Innovation in Human Capital and Talent – developing top talent within the organization, empowering employees and building skills;
- Innovation in Marketing – sales and marketing that facilitate business growth, increased market share and/or improved reputation.
“The Innovation Awards are a great way to showcase what a company is doing to be innovative to raise the bar,” said Award Chair Lisa Anderson. “With the addition of the student category, we now have a spotlight on hiring recent graduates who showcase their talents with their submissions.”
The Summit will showcase local manufacturers in the “Made in the Inland Empire” display, another popular aspect of the event. Last year over 30 manufacturers participated in the exhibit, highlighting the numerous products that are made in the region. Event goers will also have the opportunity to converse with a variety of vendors who support manufacturing in the large exhibit area.
For more information about the annual Manufacturers’ Summit, please visit www.mfgcouncilie.com.
