SCMEP Spearheads Manufacturing Day Events

With over 1700 events nationwide celebrating Manufacturing Day on Oct.2, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) will host two local events Sep. 29, and Oct 2, in honor of the occasion.
The event is held annually on the first Friday in October and is meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.

The day will provide manufactures with an opportunity to open their doors and quiet common misperceptions about the industry, said SCMEP spokesperson, Channing Childers.

Celebrating Manufacturing Day is not only crucial in a state like South Carolina, but across the United States, she said. “Manufacturing is vital to our economy and we must do everything in our power to address the skilled labor shortage.”

According to an analysis of risk factors listed in the most recent 10-K filings of the largest 100 publicly traded U.S. manufacturers, 98 percent of manufacturers mentioned risks related to labor concerns, up from 97 percent in 2014, and 75 percent in 2013.

”South Carolina alone has more than 5,000 manufacturing operations which are the pillar of our state,” Childers said.

“No other sector contributes more tax revenue, job creation, high wages, or community support,” she said.
General Manager of Operations at Itron Inc., Mike Higgins, said manufacturing is not only vital to the economy, but it is a field with “real career opportunities.”

“There is a great need for skilled labor from welders, technicians to engineers,” he said. “Manufacturing today provides exciting and innovative opportunities for people at all levels, and it happens right here in South Carolina.”

SCMEP will host an event at its Business Learning Center in Greenville Sep. 29, and a plant tour of Itron in West Union Oct.2.