Manufacturing Day

Manufacturing Day (MFG Day) is an opportunity for manufacturers to highlight what's taking place on factory floors across the country and to energize a future pipeline of skilled workers. An annual event that occurs on the first Friday of October, MFG Day is an occasion during which manufacturers open their doors to showcase the potential of modern manufacturing and foster interest in manufacturing careers. Organizations show the public what manufacturing really looks like through more than 3,000 events in each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico with more than 325,000 students, parents, and community members attending.

The rallying point for a growing mass movement, MFG Day empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive. Since inception, the MEP National Network^TM has participated in MFG Day by hosting, coordinating and promoting events. In 2020, the Network is serving as a Silver Sponsor for MFG Day.

Are you a manufacturer interested in hosting a virtual event? You can check out this blog or contact your local MEP Center.

Celebrate MFG Day with the MEP National Network

You can celebrate MFG Day with the MEP National Network by attending one of the events below. This is not an exhaustive list of the many events MEP Centers are hosting or participating in across the country and in Puerto Rico.

Alabama

Alabama Technology Network (ATN)
The Alabama Technology Network (ATN) and the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) are partnering together to bring you a virtual Manufacturing Day experience! While October 2nd is Manufacturing Day, ATN and ACCS have decided to celebrate for the next six weeks! Each week, we will highlight an industry sector, including a look inside local manufacturing plants, hearing from Community College students, and weekly trivia! Learn more at https://dreamitdoitalabama.com/mfgday/. 

Connecticut

CONNSTEP
Join CONNSTEP from 4-5 p.m. on National Manufacturing Day—Friday, Oct. 2—for an informal, interactive happy hour, and take the opportunity to network and talk with Connecticut manufacturing leaders. Special guests include Chris DiPentima, CBIA president and CEO; Colin Cooper, the state’s chief manufacturing officer; and Phil Pappas, executive director of the Connecticut Brewers Guild; and Lucia Furman, president of Mercantile Development. Registration is free, but space is limited. Don’t miss this fun event and chance to toast Connecticut’s manufacturers! Register at zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3NYFX26GQu6gRCK3_b2RWQ

CBIA, CONNSTEP, and ReadyCT present the Made in Connecticut: 2020 Manufacturing Summit on October 23rd from 8:30 am – 11:30 am. Join them as they look at the 2020 Connecticut Manufacturing Report, produced in collaboration with Stanley Black & Decker, discuss the latest manufacturing initiatives, navigate manufacturing challenges, and present our manufacturing innovation awards. The Made in Connecticut: 2020 Manufacturing Summit is free for CBIA members and CONNSTEP clients. Regular admission is $25. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/made-in-connecticut-2020-manufacturing-summit-tickets-121040833391

Florida

FloridaMakes
This year, the FloridaMakes Network has created a Manufacturing Month Hub to host a wide array of virtual activities to keep you engaged! On the hub, you can register for multiple free events happening live across the state which can then be viewed on-demand as many times as you’d like! Virtual plant tours will begin Oct. 1. Access the hub at www.madeinflorida.org/mfgday

Join FloridaMakes at the 2020 Florida Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence (SMBE) Virtual Awards Ceremony on October 1st! The 10 manufacturing finalists have showcased best practices and they continue to innovate their business, their communities and the manufacturing industry. The finalists are Bausch + Lomb, Carlisle Interconnect Technologies, Cerex Advanced Fabrics, Compass Blending, Eastman Chemicals, Expert Shutter Services, Fort Walton Machining, Inc., John Bean Technologies, MAG Aerospace and Omnicell. Register at FloridaMakes.com/SMBEawards

Hawaii

Innovate Hawaii
HTDC-Innovate Hawaii will be hosting a virtual Manufacturing Day event on Zoom in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. The live zoom event will be held on Friday, October 2nd from 10 – 11:30 a.m. This event will feature speakers Garrett Marrero from Maui Brewing Company and Keizo Gates from Kamanu Composites who will speak about company resiliency in the age of the current health situation. They will also be giving a virtual tour of their facilities. Registration is required. Register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcodeqtqD8vHNWT6mjCqF0O3fF3YUzjQGri

Additional Manufacturing Day company highlight videos and virtual tours will be featured on the Innovate Hawaii website at https://www.htdc.org/manufacturing-day-2020/

Indiana

Purdue Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Purdue MEP)
Join Major Tool & Machine, industry leaders, and educators for a first-of-its-kind virtual Manufacturing Day event. While there is no replacing the sensory experience of watching a manufacturing process up close for the first time, Major Tool & Machine will be hosting a virtual roundtable for engaging conversation on how to create collaboration between education and industry. Learn more about this virtual Indiana Manufacturing Day Kick-Off event.

Louisiana

Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Louisiana (MEPOL)
MEPOL is offering a Lean 101 LEGO Robot Simulation Nepris session on Manufacturing Day, October 2^nd at 11 AM.  The session will be presented by MEPOL’s Project Manager, Baxter Saucier, with the simulation being completed by Kayla Gentry, Dayna Blanchard and other MEPOL staff. The Nepris session is available at https://nepris.com/sessions/session/detail/76198?auth=y.  A Nepris account is needed to attend the session and can be created at https://nepris.com/account/signup/roleselector by choosing “I work with a Company, Agency or Organization”.

Missouri

Missouri Enterprise
Each year the Missouri Chamber Manufacturing Alliance, in partnership with Missouri Enterprise, leads Missouri’s statewide MFG Day open door events and invites students to learn more about the amazing career potential that exists across the manufacturing industry. This year they’re meeting the challenges created by the current health situation by bringing today’s modern manufacturing world right to your students’ classrooms and homes virtually. A free, half-day MFG Day live streamed event will showcase dozens of manufacturers across Missouri while “Zooming in” schools and classrooms from around the state. Each hour will feature a unique virtual tour of manufacturing plants, live Q&A with key leaders of the companies, and career insights from passionate and talented professionals. Visit mochamber.com/mfgday to learn more and register your class!

Montana

Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC)
Helena WINS will host a FREE virtual event through Edge Factor for students to learn more about careers in this field and the industry itself. Find out more and register on at https://www.helenawins.com/events

The Butte Economic Development Group will host a Community Call on October 7th, with manufacturers from around the area sharing what they do, where their products are used, and the workforce issues they're facing. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/ButteLocalDevelopmentCorporation.

TowHaul in Manhattan will host a a virtual Manufacturing Day event October 2, 2020 via their social media channels (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and on their YouTube channel. Learn more at https://www.facebook.com/towhaulcorporation/.

Dean's Zesty Booch is making organic, oak-aged kombucha the centerpiece of a new universe of better drinking experiences to fit every aspect of your life. Join them this October on their Instagram page for a virtual tour. Learn more at https://creatorswanted.org/events/mfg-day-virtually-tour-deans-zesty-booch/.

Nebraska

Nebraska Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Nebraska MEP)
To serve and assist manufacturing clients, the Nebraska MEP has conducted a series of free live webinars over the past several months.  In honor of Manufacturing Month, the Nebraska MEP will give access to the recorded webinars on subjects including Job Relations and Instruction, Cybersecurity, Lean, ISO 9001, Sales Development, and Maintaining Client Relationships. More information can be found at https://go.unl.edu/mfgmonth.

New Jersey

New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program (NJMEP)
NJMEP invested in an incredible platform that bridges the digital divide to create an engaging, impactful online Manufacturing Day 2020.  Made in New Jersey’ Manufacturing Day will be 100% VIRTUAL this year but will STILL be the largest networking event of its kind for the New Jersey Manufacturing Industry.  Connect with leaders in business & government, experience the industry from anywhere, and develop relationships that help drive business forward.  Manufacturing Cares — NJMEP gives back to the community, this event is no different. 50% of registration fees will be donated to the Community Food Bank of NJ and Fulfill NJ. Register at https://events.bizzabo.com/njmep2020

New York

FuzeHub
NYS Manufacturing Day 2020: Friday, October 16 from 8:30 to 12:30 PM
NYS Manufacturing Day 2020 is an on-line event that will celebrate manufacturers from across New York State and highlight the pathways students can take toward manufacturing careers. To ensure safe, physical distancing during the current health situation, FuzeHub and many regional Centers from within the New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NY MEP) will use an on-line platform called Remo that provides event participants with a virtual experience modeled after the real-world. Remo’s virtual conference hall supports face-to-face video conversations and includes tables, chairs, and a stage for speakers. High school and college students, teachers, and guidance counselors can ask manufacturers what it’s like to work in industry and learn about opportunities to get the training and education that’s needed for a career in manufacturing. Join us for NYS Manufacturing Day 2020 on Friday, October 16 from 8:30 to 12:30 PM.  Register on-line now.

Oregon

Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership (OMEP)
OMEP is supporting their partners to host exciting events including a series at several manfacturers in Lane County Oregon called Manufacturing Mondays. Find events at https://elevatelanecounty.org/calendar/.

On MFG day the series of virtual tours will open in Washington County, including a live zoom kick off. Learn more at https://hillsborochamberor.com/stc/.

Pennsylvania

Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC)
The Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) will host its annual Manufacturing Day event on Friday October 2nd, 2020. This year’s Manufacturing Day is free to all manufacturers and will be streamed virtually thanks to our partner, Coal Creative. When registering, attendees will have the option to select from a number of different sessions, each of which addresses a specific manufacturing best practice or technology. Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/manufacturing-day-2020-registration-120554003269

Northwest Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NWIRC)
During the entire month of October, NWIRC and regional sponsors are offering a career exploration activity for students in Grades 6-12 within 14-counties of northwestern PA – Exploring the Marvels of Manufacturing.  Educators can use with their class or students can do on their own. Students will share how manufacturing touches their own life, learn about companies in the region, and have a chance to win some awesome prizes. The activity includes completing a worksheet after watching (3) short ‘What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’ videos created by students about regional companies. The program materials and portal for entries can be found at: www.nwirc.org/mfgmonth. Entries are accepted from October 1-31^st. 

South Dakota

South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions
Manufacturing Week Webinar with Special Guest Joe Mahon – Friday, October 2, 9:00 a.m. CT
Joe Mahon, regional outreach director at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, will be speaking to manufacturers and community leaders on MFG Day about the current trends and economic outlook he sees for the future.
Register at https://usd.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwrcOCtrDwuG9bbWLxj-t7UYNR-O6I81OuV

Washington

Impact Washington
Impact Washington is supporting first ever Virtual Tour of Everett Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center (AMTEC). Tours occur October 2nd – December 31st.  Students can view demonstrations for welding, precision machining, composites, engineering tech design and mechatronics.  View tour information at https://everettcc.instructure.com/courses/1993343.

On October 2nd Everett Community College, Advanced Manufacturing Training and Education Center (AMTEC), Workforce Snohomish and Impact Washington are partnering to present a Student, Faculty and Employers LIVE panel discussion 12:00-1:00 PM.  Register to view the panel at https://webinar.ringcentral.com/webinar/register/WN_VZIzOqQ9SkiDFjRLkl8MCQ.

Impact Washington is always proud to be an official endorser for Manufacturing Day.  You can find a list of the events in Washington Sate at https://www.impactwashington.org/manufacturing-day-2020.aspx. 

West Virginia

West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WVMEP)
Manufacturing Day Event – Toyota Oct. 2^nd 10:00 AM
Join the WVU Industrial Extension for a virtual visit with Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Buffalo, WV. We’ll start with a virtual tour of facility that builds engines and transmissions for Toyota vehicles. After the tour, participants will have a chance to talk with the engineers that make the Toyota plant go. Come ready to ask questions. What is a typical day like for an engineer at Toyota? Do you use robots? What did you study in school that you use now at your job? Get the answers to these and other questions on this exploration of one of the leading manufacturers in the country. Registration is required. https://wvu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEucOysqT4oGdDR2USTRpa6SXiG0FBU5Sxp

Manufacturing Day Event – Dale Morton Studio Oct. 30 10:00 AM
Have you ever wondered how Halloween or mascot costumes are made? Join the WVU Industrial Extension for a special tour of Dale Morton Studios in Hurricane, WV to see this exciting mix of art and manufacturing. You may not know Dale, but chances are you’ve seen his work. He has created mascot costumes for schools, companies, and individuals all over the country…including the PRT costume for West Virginia University. Dale will provide an interactive walk-through of his studio and explain how new technology is transforming his business. Come ready to ask questions. Registration is required. https://wvu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElce-hpjMuHNBoHJvszEOToDd_Fbu9TQ2H