Manex and Partners to Host 2012 Silicon Valley Manufacturing & Technology Summit
SAN RAMON, California.--December 20, 2012--Competing globally while manufacturing in California to create good, well-paying jobs will be the main topic of discussion at the inaugural 2012 Silicon Valley Manufacturing & Technology Summit to be held on March 21, 2012 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. The event is presented by The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex), www.manexconsulting.com, UC Davis, Hood & Strong, Mission College, The Santa Clara Chamber of Commerce, NOVA Workforce Investment Board, and the San Jose Chamber of Commerce.
“We need the manufacturing sector to be the foundation for the future, as its strength or weakness has tremendous impact on job creation and the health of the overall economy,” says Hank Holzapfel, President of Manex. “Our goal is to do everything we can to help manufacturers compete globally while continuing to do business in California and employ highly-skilled workers in good paying jobs.”
In his keynote address at the summit, Harry Moser, Founder of the Reshoring Initiative, will describe the Initiative’s tools designed to help companies recognize the advantages of bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. “World macro-economic trends, such as rapidly rising wages in China, suggest that U.S. manufacturers are or soon will be competitive for most products sold in the U.S. market,” says Mr. Moser. “The non-profit Reshoring Initiative provides free Total Cost of Ownership™ software that companies are starting to use to compare domestic to offshore sources, resulting in more U.S. jobs.”
Also presenting will be Bill Browne of Manex, who will reveal the latest resources for manufacturers and discuss why data-based decision making is no longer an option, and best practices are now a requirement. The morning session will also feature a panel discussion to include various local leaders and Northern California manufacturers, including Todd Rinella of CORWIL Technology Corp, Kris Stadelman of the NOVA Workforce Investment Board, and Paul Witkay of the Alliance of Chief Executives, who will address California’s top manufacturing issues.
The afternoon sessions include a panel discussion “Transition to Innovative New Processes and Products” and will feature local South Bay leaders, including Ivan Ernest of Google, Dr. J. Laurel Jones of Mission College, UC Davis, and the Stanford Research Institute. The Summit will conclude with a presentation on Sustainable Manufacturing by UC Berkeley’s Laboratory for Manufacturing and Sustainability, and a session by Dr. Kevin O’Brien with Energy Commercialization on what companies need to do to assess their current status.
The event includes breakfast, lunch and concludes with a networking reception at 3:30pm. For more information and to register, go to: http://www.manexconsulting.com/events/santa-clara-manufacturing-summit
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