Above: A view of Raymond Corporation's facility in Muscatine, IA, one of the thousands of manufacturers participating in Manufacturing Day. (Photo courtesy of Raymond Corporation)
October is Manufacturing Month, kicked off this year on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021, the ninth annual Manufacturing Day.
As U.S. manufacturers struggle to hire and unfilled manufacturing positions in the U.S. approach one million, more companies are embracing Manufacturing Day as a way to showcase diverse career opportunities in the manufacturing industry. It's a way for the entire industry to focus on solving the shared issues of surging demand and a shrinking workforce.
Manufacturing Day 2021 falls within a pivotal time for U.S. manufacturing. Following the COVID-19 pandemic’s severe disruptions to the global supply chain, U.S. manufacturing activity has rebounded strongly. With many industrial companies dealing with a backlog of orders and longer lead times, U.S. manufacturers are in even greater need of skilled workers than they were prior to the pandemic.
And a labor shortage of 4.6 million jobs expected over the next decade, the importance of getting the message out cannot be understated.
Is your business hosting an event for Manufacturing Day? Tell us how it went and be featured on our blog!
Celebrating Manufacturing Month
Last year, thousands of businesses held virtual Manufacturing Day events, collectively drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees. These events were aimed at students, parents, teachers and community leaders, as well as media and elected officials.
The majority of students had never seen a manufacturing operation in person and were awed by the technology and methods used. They had the opportunity to engage with industry experts, and in some cases, try their hand at designing and building.
The modern factory is an ever-evolving place that has already embraced the future. Manufacturing facilities are generally cleaner, safer and more advanced than ever before. Manufacturing Day will give students a chance to see this firsthand.
MFG Day is a partnership between The Manufacturing Institute and the Fabricators & Manufacturers Association. You can read more about their effort here.
Enjoy Manufacturing Day Events
In 2020, Manufacturing Day events were mostly virtual, due to the pandemic. This year, a hybrid model is being embraced, with some facilities throwing open their doors, while others are getting creative with live-streaming and virtual events. Let's take a look at some of the events coming up.
Virtual Events
nVenia, Wood Dale, IL
nVenia, headquartered in Wood Dale, IL, designs and manufactures primary, secondary and end-of-line packaging equipment. This year, the company will be featuring virtual tours of their Welding, Engineering, Assembly, and more. nVenia will also provide a forum for their employees to share their insights and stories about careers in manufacturing.
nVenia’s event will begin: Friday, Oct 1st: at 9:00 a.m. with a live stream kick-off. Events will include:
• Live Stream Facebook - CNC Tour 10:00 a.m.
• Live Stream LinkedIn - Engineering 10:30 a.m.
• Live Steam Facebook - Welding 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
• Ribbon Ceremony - LIVE Facebook and LinkedIn 1:30 p.m. Live Stream
• Assembly 2:00 p.m. Live Stream Facebook
• Warehouse 2:30 p.m. Live Stream
For the company’s full schedule, see their infographic.
Raymond Corp., Muscatine, IA
Electric forklift and material handling equipment manufacturer Raymond Corp is hosting a virtual Manufacturing Day event: Building Skills for the Future, on Friday, Oct. 1st between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. This is the company’s sixth year of Manufacturing Day participation.
A new and exciting addition to the program this year includes following the journey of young professionals working at Raymond in a variety of programs and roles, including the Broome-Tioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) Youth Apprenticeship program, Raymond’s co-op program, and a young professional who works on the manufacturing floor as a Swing-Reach Assembly Supervisor.
The event will feature a virtual factory tour, associate testimonials, and a technician spotlight
Raymond Corp’s event begins Friday, October 1st. It is not a live event, and participants are free to join at their convenience throughout the day. The experience is expected to take approximately one hour to complete.
Register for this event at: www.raymondcorp.com/ManufacturingDayRegistration
NIWRC, Erie, PA
In addition to manufacturing companies, manufacturer organizations like NWIRC (Northwest Pennsylvania Resource Center, Inc.) are also participating in virtual events. This year NWIRC plans to celebrate Manufacturing Day all month long with their event: Exploring the Marvels of Manufacturing.
ABB, Inc., Fort Smith, AR
Electronics manufacturer ABB is also taking a slightly different approach, teaming up with e-learning provider Edge Factor to provide a weeklong program on STEAM topics and workplace skills like teamwork.
This is a virtual event that begins Friday, October 1st. See here for details.
Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc., McKees Rocks, PA
Ace Wire Spring & Form Co., Inc. a precision fabricator of coil springs and wire forms, is taking a slightly different approach, with a webpage dedicated to Manufacturing Day, in which they’ve compiled a number of helpful articles about Manufacturing Day and manufacturing careers.
In-Person Events
Didion Orf Recycling, St. Peters, MO
Didion Orf Recycling recycles scrap metal and electronics in St. Peters, MO. The company adheres to all R2 and RIOS guideline and strives to keep the highest standards within the recycling industry. We provide services for both industrial customers as well as local residents.
In celebration of Manufacturing Day, local schools and community groups are invited to tour Didion Orf Recycling. The company will be offering in person tours Monday September 27th through Thursday September 30th. Two time slots are available each day: early tour is from 9am to 10:30, afternoon tour is 12 noon to 1:30pm.
206 Didion Drive
St. Peters, MO 63376
Visit Didion Orf Recycling for more.
mk North America, Inc., Bloomfield, CT
MK North America is an OEM, manufacturing a wide variety of conveyors, frames, guards, workstations and linear motion modules. This year, mk North America is celebrating Manufacturing Day by celebrating their employees. The company will be providing a catered breakfast and lunch along with new company swag and a welcome banner outside their facility welcoming them. Learn more about mk North America here.
This list is by no means complete, as there are literally thousands of events to choose from during Manufacturing Month. Visit the Manufacturing Day site and open your doors to the next generation of manufacturing professionals.
Manufacturers can get involved by visiting the Manufacturing Day Registration page. All hosting companies must include one of the following:
- Virtual tour of a factory or manufacturing-supporting site (office, innovation center).
- Manufacturing-related virtual job fair or career day.
- A school event about manufacturing or a manufacturing-related career day event.
- Manufacturing product expo.
- Must be open to students, parents or educators.
Also, don't forget to share your success stories on the Manufacturing Day site.
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Article Sources:
https://industrynet.com/blog/how-manufacturing-day-has-grown-to-inspire-millions-over-the-years
https://www.mfgday.com/sites/default/files/MI.MFGDay.2019.Flyer_.v03.pdf
https://www.mfgday.com/events
https://www.mfgday.com/events/2019/afl-16
https://www.alexandriaindustries.com/capabilities/
