CNMI Convenes “Advanced Manufacturing Outlook 2014” at USC Davidson Conference Center

For a copy of the invite click here.

LOS ANGELES, CA – The California Network for Manufacturing Innovation (CNMI) is holding an Advanced Manufacturing Forum on June 24, 2014 at USC Davidson Conference Center.  This is the second event organized by CNMI in the past year.  CNMI is a California statewide Innovation HUB (iHUB) and a broad-based collaborative that  includes: the California Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers (CMTC and Manex), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory , University of California Irvine, El Camino College, Centers for Applied Competitive Technologies, University of Southern California Center for Economic Development, City of Davis and i-Gate. 

Last year’s event at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory introduced hundreds of manufacturers to additive manufacturing. This year’s event is focused on advanced manufacturing keying on emerging technologies, technologies that are being used today to grow manufacturing and financing options to obtain technology and advanced equipment. 

The morning keynote address will be delivered by Perry Wong, Managing Director, Research from the Milken Institute.  Mr. Wong designs, manages and performs research on labor and workforce issues, the relationship between technology and economic development, trade and industry, with a focus on policy development and implementation of economic policy in both leading and disadvantaged regions. Mr. Wong will discuss the economic outlook for manufacturing in the State in the context of national and global trends with a particular focus on trends in small and medium-sized manufacturers.

The afternoon keynote address will be presented by Dr. Irene J. Petrick, Managing Director of the TrendScape Innovation Group. Dr. Petrick is an internationally recognized expert in strategic road mapping.  She is actively engaged with companies in their innovation and technology strategy activities, including work with Fortune 100 companies, the U.S. military and a wide variety of small to medium-sized enterprises.

“CNMI’s Advanced Manufacturing Outlook 2014 continues to show leadership in promoting technology to small and medium-sized manufacturers,” stated Louis Stewart, Deputy Director Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “The growth and enhanced competitiveness for these companies will be driven by the adoption and integration of new technologies into their manufacturing processes,” concluded Mr. Stewart.

The all-day event on June 24th will include a series of four panel discussions focusing on key topics that draw the interest of manufacturers. The morning panel will consist of manufacturers sharing their success stories, with the final panel in the afternoon discussing financing options for manufacturers who want to implement new advanced manufacturing technologies. Throughout the day, participants will have access to exhibitors involved in advanced manufacturing technologies. A networking reception will immediately follow the event.  

CNMI is partnering with the USC Center for Economic Development to prepare a Statewide Partnership for a Manufacturing Strategy as part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration initiative Investing in Manufacturing Community Partnerships. 

ABOUT CNMI
The California Network for Manufacturing Innovation (CNMI) is a state-wide collaborative formed to foster manufacturing innovation.  CNMI is composed of National Research Laboratories, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers (MEPs), academic institutions, economic development organizations, manufacturers and equipment suppliers. As a designated state-wide Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Hub (iHub), CNMI’s goals are to improve the transfer of technology to California manufacturers, and develop workforce skills that will support the adoption and integration of new technologies by small and medium-sized manufacturers. For more information, visit www.cnmi.bz.

ABOUT CMTC
A private, non-profit corporation established in 1992, CMTC is the Southern California affiliate of NIST MEP, under the Federal Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, a network of more than 60 centers across the country that provides assistance to small, medium and large manufacturers.  CMTC serves Fresno to San Diego/Imperial County. CMTC and MANEX represent the MEP system in California and work in close collaboration on all manufacturing issues and opportunities within the State of California.  For more information, visit www.cmtc.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Subscribe to our manufacturing network blog at http://www.cmtc.com/blog

ABOUT MANEX
The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (MANEX), a private non-profit corporation, was established in 1995 to provide services to small and mid-size manufacturers in Northern California. MANEX operates through a cooperative agreement between the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), under the Department of Commerce.  MANEX serves Northern California from Fresno to the Oregon border. MANEX  and CMTC represent the MEP system in California and work in close collaboration on all manufacturing issues and opportunities within the State of California.  www.northerncaliforniamep.org and www.mfgca.org for further information. 

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