S.C. Manufacturing Conference offers look at future, heritage
The two-day S.C. Manufacturing Conference and Expo starting Tuesday at TD Convention Center includes an Advanced Manufacturing Job Fair that is free and open to job seekers Tuesday. High school students from 59 school districts are set to attend a career fair Wednesday. More than 1,500 representatives of manufacturing and education have registered for the event that includes 146 exhibitors, an address by Gov. Nikki Haley and presentation of the S.C. Manufacturing Excellence Awards.
Other speakers at the conference being held by GSA Business and its parent company, SC Biz News LLC, include Michelin President Pete Selleck, S.C. Chamber of Commerce Chairman and Cox Industries President and CEO Mikee Johnson and S.C. Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt.
Session topics include Cyber Threats and Future of Security, Venture Capital for Startups, Challenges and Opportunities for Next Generation Manufacturing, Digital Manufacturing, Creating a Skilled Workforce, Supply Chains of the Future, Opportunities in Additive Manufacturing, Latest Options in 3-D Printers and Future of Intellectual Property.
Haley will speak at The Salute to Manufacturing Awards Luncheon set at noon Tuesday.
Recipients of the 2015 S.C. Manufacturing Excellence Awards judged by a panel from the Association for Manufacturing Excellence are Honda of S.C. Manufacturing in Timmonsville, Mack Molding Co. Southern Division in Inman, BorgWarner TorqTransfer Systems in Seneca and Cox Industries Inc. in Orangeburg. One will be selected Silver Crescent Award recipient for best demonstrating excellence in citizenship, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, environmental stewardship, innovation, financial performance and commitment to longevity in South Carolina.
Toray Industries, a Tokyo-based company investing $1 billion in an advanced-material manufacturing plant at Moore, will receive the SC Biz News Smart Choice SC Award presented by ECPI University.
GSA Business Publisher Lisa Jones said in a written welcome to attendees that the event “pins the exclamation point on our state's proud manufacturing heritage.” Jones said Greenville Technical College's job fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday, and the high school career fair presented by SCRA starting at 9 a.m., Wednesday, will benefit manufacturers and the community.
Jones said it “takes great people to make great products and we hold fast to the belief that networking job candidates and young people, together with manufacturers and exhibitors from around the nation, provides the contacts and sparks of inspiration that can better lives and communities.”