USI Insurance has shared with BAMA members its Risk Management Hurricane Preparedness Guidebook which will help you in your storm-related property conservation efforts.

You can find the guidebook here.

EMS is hosting a one day GD&T Workshop at their Tampa office on Wednesday, August 31, 8:30am - 4:00pm.  Geometric Detailing & Tolerancing (GD&T) it is a quality control system used in all aspects of manufacturing and inspection.

It will be a full day workshop with GD&T expert Mark Foster and is free to anyone interested in attending. Each participant will receive a certificate of completion for the workshop. In addition, lunch will be provided and there is a give away for a pair of Zeiss binoculars.

We only ask that everyone register so we have enough food and certificates for everyone who attends.

https://www.ems-usa.com/ems-and-zeiss-gdt-workshop/

MacDonald Training Center is an agency that provides job skills training to adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. They are currently developing a training curriculum to assist individuals in obtaining entry level manufacturing/production jobs within our local community. After researching for similar training programs, and being unable to identify any within the state of Florida, they are collaborating with Hillsborough Community College and University of Tampa to ensure the design will give individuals the skills that are needed to succeed within the industry. Their goal is to become certified, through the Department of Education, in offering a training program that will ensure individuals who have barriers to employment will be ready for the workforce.

The Business Services Team at MacDonald Training Center has been working closely with Sims Recycling and their hiring managers are excited to become a part of another focus group.

MTC would like to extend an invitation to you to participate in the next focus group to get a clearer idea of what training can be put in place for people with disabilities to work in manufacturing. The next focus group is on Thursday, August 25 at 3:00 p.m. at MacDonald Training Center, 5420 West Cypress St., Tampa 33607.

If you cannot make this meeting, perhaps you can extend the invitation to someone else in your company.

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please contact Leah Herring at 813-870-1300, x307 or LHerring@macdonaldcenter.org.

The Rise of Smart Operations: Reaching New Levels of Operational Excellence
White Paper by UPS

"Lean and Six Sigma (Lean Sigma) continuous improvement discipline has been at the center of operational excellence strategies in the manufacturing industry for decades. The new complexities of manufacturing — serving demanding customers with a rapidly increasing number of products and services — have tested the limits of Lean Sigma. In response, manufacturing firms are looking to technologies that instrument processes (e.g., the Internet of Things) and analyze information (big data/cognitive) in real time to supercharge value chains and create a new approach to operational excellence. This new approach is called smart operations."

The North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME (NAMRI/SME), a research and development-based subset of manufacturing nonprofit association SME, installed its 2016-17 board of directors on July 1. Dean Bartles, PhD, FSME, 2016 SME president, chief manufacturing officer and executive director of the Digital Manufacturing & Design Innovation Institute in Chicago, assumed his position as the new board president.

READ MORE

It’s that time of the year when we start focusing our efforts on Manufacturing Day. We invite each of you to join forces with FLATE and its network of statewide partners that include the Bay Area Manufacturers Association to promote and celebrate 2016 Manufacturing Day (MFG DAY)/Month! Last year, FLATE, together with statewide partners, worked cohesively to coordinate and organize industry tours for hundreds of middle and high school students and teachers. This strategic effort enabled students and educators across Florida to visit local manufacturing operations across Florida on Manufacturing Day and throughout the entire month of October. It also placed Florida at the #1 SPOT IN THE NATION for hosting total number of tours and events for the 4th consecutive year!

This year we’re hoping to do even better and we need your continued support and participation to make that a reality. Read how you can participate and be part of this national phenomenon on the FLATE Blog, or visit the “Made in Florida” site http://madeinflorida.org/manufacturing-day, and contact Dr. Marilyn Barger, Executive Director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org/813.259.6578 or Contact Becky at BAMA at 727-754-3385 or becky@bama-fl.org.

Each year, the Manufacturers Association of Florida (MAF) recognizes the best in the industry with the annual Manufacturer of the Year awards. Recognize your colleagues or your own company for this prestigious award! All Florida manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and logistics companies are eligible to compete and self nominations are welcome!

Nominate Form is Here!

Deadlines:

• July 29, 2016 is the deadline for nominations
• August 5, 2016 is the deadline for nominated companies to return their company questionnaire (applications)

All nominations, questions and applications should be sent to Jeff Littlejohn, WSource 850.363.9644

Announcing new features
The Distributor category has been expanded to include suppliers and logistics companies.
MAF members who become Finalists will earn the MAF Seal of Excellence!
The seal distinguishes manufacturing companies above others in the industry by showing the receiving company holds a higher standard of excellence.

This year, the awards dinner will be on Wed, November 16 in Gainesville. Finalists are expected to attend. Winners will be announced at the awards dinner and all finalists and judges will be recognized for their achievements.

Enterprise Florida is offering eligible small and medium-sized manufacturers and professional service providers Target Sector Trade Grants to help Florida companies grow export sales through overseas international trade shows. Target Sector Trade Grants are reimbursable grants that will help offset exhibition booth expenses for trade shows that Enterprise Florida participates in, as well as other approved trade shows in one of Florida's identified target sectors. The grant covers 50% of basic turnkey booth expenses, up to $6,000. For more information, please contact your local Enterprise Florida trade representative or follow this link.

ISO 9001 has provided a common basis for communicating and specifying requirements through supply chains for nearly three decades. The standard has evolved from the heavily manufacturing bias in the 1980s and 1990s, to one that delineates requirements to define and control processes for any type of organization.

Read more: www.industryweek.com

A couple of news articles that may be of interest:

How to Revitalize US Manufacturing
The importance of selling and what China and the U.S. can learn from each other