Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

🚀 How inspiring was yesterday's TRANSFORM Lightning talks event?! Boise State University's TRANSFORM program hosted lightning talks with 12 speakers yesterday, showcasing how their organizations connect with communities to advance the TRANSFORM mission. 🌟 TechHelp’s own Catherine Cantley shined, sharing how studio\Blu Idaho students are driving success for Idaho manufacturers. 💼💙 #TRANSFORM2024 #BoiseState #IdahoManufacturing Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)

Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) is Friday, Oct. 4! This annual event, held on the first Friday of October, is a chance for manufacturers across the nation to inspire future workers. One of the many great things about manufacturing is that it welcomes everyone, which is why this year’s MFG Day theme is See Yourself in Manufacturing. Explore what’s possible in the industry and find your place in manufacturing! Learn more about MFG Day and check out events happening in your area: https://lnkd.in/eGbXBv6 #SeeYourselfInMFG #MFGDay24 #MEPNationalNetwork 

Due to their role in the supply chain, small and medium-sized manufacturers are an increasingly common target for cyber-criminals. A strong cybersecurity posture isn’t cheap or easy to obtain, but when dealing with threat actors, a proactive approach will result in less stress and a significantly lower financial impact than the alternative.   Learn about some simple (but effective) cybersecurity strategies that manufacturing companies should utilize in this Solutions Review article from TechSolve, Inc. cyber analyst Mac Kern:   https://lnkd.in/erZjVNvG   #cybersecurity #MEPNationalNetwork

The MEP National Network’s supplier scouting service can assist in identifying domestic suppliers with the capabilities manufacturers need. In some cases, this allows them to reshore production, resulting in a shorter supply chain and reduced uncertainty. There are currently 53 open supplier scouting opportunities for U.S. manufacturers seeking domestic suppliers for various items. View opportunities at: https://lnkd.in/emi9NRi6 #supplier #manufacturing #MEPNationalNetwork #SupplyChain

Veterans, service providers, and dignitaries from across northern New Jersey gathered to celebrate military service members at the first-ever Morris County Veteran Appreciation Day held at VFW Post 3401 in Morris Plains Borough. Commissioner John Krickus, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, talked about the County College of Morris (CCM) workforce development bootcamps, that are free for veterans. The bootcamps are part of the New Jersey Defense Manufacturing Community Consortium, a training program launched in 2023 through a partnership between the New Jersey MEP Center (NJMEP) and CCM. A $5 million grant from the United States Department of Defense (DoD), was awarded to NJMEP by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, to educate and train veterans and their families for careers in manufacturing at no cost. The program, which will be available for five years, aims to assist 1,200 participants. https://lnkd.in/ekmVTb2T #MEPNationalNetwork #veterans #military

The Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary for Administration (CFO/ASA) Office of Performance Excellence has announced the first graduating class of Customer Experience (CX) Champions and CX Advocates. Congratulations to the 50 new CX Champions and CX Advocates including National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) CX Champions Jyoti Malhotra and Mark Schmit and CX Advocates Nicole Ausherman and Saul Rojas! These graduates will play a foundational role in establishing and expanding the U.S. Department of Commerce’s emerging CX Community of Practice. They will help to strengthen the Department’s customer centric culture and deliver results supporting Strategic Objective 5.3: Equitably deliver exceptional customer experience in the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standards Forum is a one-day event that will be held on Wednesday, September 11 from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm. NIST staff and stakeholders in the private sector and other federal agencies will learn how NIST is advancing standardization for critical and emerging technologies (CETs) through public-private partnerships, and ways their organizations and agencies can participate in this important activity. The Forum will feature NIST Director, Dr. Laurie Locascio, who will deliver the morning Keynote Address on the National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology and the NSSCET Implementation Roadmap which was launched at a White House event in late July.  Gordon Gillerman, NIST Conformity Assessment Advisor, will deliver the afternoon Keynote Address on The Role of Conformity Assessment in CETs.    Learn more and register at: https://lnkd.in/eZpCi8f9

In celebration of Labor Day, we recognize with gratitude the people whose work and dedication help advance American manufacturing and contribute to our nation’s prosperity and well-being. #LaborDay #Manufacturing 

Summer camps are winding down and kids are heading back to school! Did you know Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Centers help manufacturers who produce items like backpacks, paper products, sports-related technology, and more? This back-to-school season, find out how MEP Centers are helping these manufacturers enhance growth, improve productivity, reduce costs, and expand capacity. C&N Manufacturing makes school supplies like dorm storage trunks, backpacks, and water bottles, as well as about 800 products for children attending summer camps. They were having problems with their orders being ready to ship by the end of the day, so they reached out to the UW-Stout Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) (part of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity (WCMP), Wisconsin MEP) for help. After lean training, which identifies and eliminates various types of waste in the manufacturing process, production employees changed the floor layout to improve the flow and balance process times. Read their success story: https://lnkd.in/e5vdyKjv #BacktoSchool #MEPNationalNetwork

The Western Node Meeting was recently held at iMpact Utah, part of the Utah-MEP and the MEP National Network. Topics covered included virtual standard work training, building a sustainable supply chain, and collaborating on technology best practices. Attendees included NIST MEP’s Angelina Rivera, Arizona Manufacturing Extension Partnership Center Director David Garafano, Impact Washington - NIST MEP Center Director Kelley Sowards, Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP) Center Director Mike Vanier, Oregon MEP’s Kleve Kee, Battra’s Ryan Winstead and Adam Barford, Manufacture Nevada Center Director Tom Simpkins, Impact Washington’s Nick Wilkes, and Utah MEP Center Director Steven Black. Alaska MEP Center Director Alyssa Shanks Rodrigues, PhD attended via Zoom. #MEPNationalNetwork