Glen Raven
Burlington
May 16, 2012 1:30 - 4:30 pm
Daimler Trucks
Mount Holly
June 26, 2012
1:30 - 4:30 pm
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"We enjoyed the affair and were surprised at the diversity of the manufacturers from across the state.Since the first meeting, we are now doing business with Flextronics' in Charlotte, NC. This is the start of a good thing."
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RALEIGH (March 18, 2011) - The Manufacturing Makes It Real Network launches this month to promote and celebrate manufacturing in North Carolina with a series of public events to be held monthly throughout the state, beginning with the first event on April 27 at Flextronics in Morrisville.
The Network grew out of the demand from manufacturers to tell their stories to an enthusiastic audience - about the wide variety of products they make and the jobs they create -- as experienced during the statewide Manufacturing Makes It Real tour, hosted by the Industrial Extension Service at North Carolina State University during the week of September 27 - October 1, 2010.
"We saw manufacturers proudly promoting what they make, and decided we needed to provide more opportunities for celebrating what is made in North Carolina," said Terri Helmlinger Ratcliff, IES executive director and assistant vice chancellor for extension and engagement.
"We saw manufacturers at each stop on the tour meeting each other for the first time, even though their facilities are in the same zip code. We saw business being conducted. We knew we were onto a good thing. So, the Network was created."
As was done during the tour, local manufacturers will be encouraged to attend events and talk about what they make. A tour of the host manufacturing facility is also on the agenda. There will be plenty of time for networking and making business connections.
While the events are free and open to the public, including all local manufacturers, the Network will be supported by manufacturers who join and receive promotional benefits and easy access to IES services.
"We are delighted to be the first to join the Network and host its inaugural event," said David Gilmore, general manager at the Flextronics Morrisville facility. "The Industrial Extension Services is a dynamic organization that offers tremendous advantages to North Carolina companies and we are thrilled to work with them in 2011."
Flextronics, the first Bronze member of the Network, has entered a close working relationship with NC State University and will receive exposure to extensive databases of manufacturers and potential customers via the IES website and other social networking venues.
Flextronics, a leading electronics manufacturing services provider to the world's top technology companies, has facilities in North Carolina. The Flextronics Morrisville facility is an asset recovery, refurbishment and repair center of excellence with more than 20 years experience in meeting the service needs of industry leaders and their end customers.
The April 27 event is scheduled for 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. All manufacturers will be encouraged to tell their story and bring a product to display. Tours of the facility will be conducted while networking takes place. While the event is free and open to public, anyone interested in attending is asked to register online.
"Everyone is finally waking up to how important manufacturing really is," said Ratcliff. "It powers the state's economy and drives innovation. The Network exists to make sure that story is told over and over. Our future prosperity depends on it."
The Network works to promote the image of manufacturing, but not as a lobbying force, Ratcliff said. That responsibility belongs to other state organizations.
The Manufacturing Makes It Real Network is a project of the Industrial Extension Service at North Carolina State University for the purpose of promoting Made in North Carolina products. IES has worked since 1955 to advance manufacturing in North Carolina. Since 2006, IES provided more than $1 billion of value to the state's manufacturers, and created or retained more than 5,000 jobs.
The Manufacturing Makes It Real Network charter members:
NC State University Industrial Extension Service
Phone 1-800-227-0264
