Manufacturing Week 2019

By Brienne Maner | October 2, 2019

Happy National Manufacturing Week!

South Dakota Manufacturing and Technology Solutions (SDMTS), a branch of the South Dakota Small Business Development Center, is using this opportunity to inspire and recruit the next generation of manufacturers. Through industry experts and a network of resources, SDMTS helps small to medium-sized manufacturers in South Dakota remain competitive and grow.

Some common methods of support include on-site projects, lean training, supply chain optimization, quality training, and technology implementation. With funding from the state, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and direct client fees, SDMTS is the best way for local manufacturers to improve, learn, grow, and network.

 Some fun facts about SDMTS:

  • Every year they take a group of manufacturers to Kentucky to tour amazing manufacturing facilities and discuss ways to implement those practices in South Dakota facilities

  • They run a student video contest every fall to teach middle school students about modern manufacturing in a fun and engaging way. Kids are paired up with a local manufacturer to tour, film and edit a two-minute clip about manufacturing and why they think it’s “cool” as a career choice. Videos are then posted online for the public to vote and prizes are given to the winning teams!

  • They have an automation expert on their team who helps companies automate simple, boring tasks to free up labor to do other roles inside the organization

  • They host a podcast called “The Manufacturing Fix” where a variety of manufacturing hot topics and industry best practices are discussed

  • Last year, they helped create and retain 433 jobs

  • Don Cuperus has recently accepted his new leadership role as the Center Director for SDMTS

  • Cobot is short for “collaborative robot” which means robots that are safe to work alongside humans. Cobots are easy to program and fast to deploy on assembly lines, and a great solution for helping with the labor shortage issues many manufacturers in the state face

There are several Manufacturing Day events across South Dakota this year! Use this link to learn more and register!

https://www.mfgday.com/events/?country=US&state=SD#filter

Did you know: South Dakota ranks first in the nation for manufacturing GDP growth over the last 10 years?

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