Written by Rob Newbold, IMEC Manufacturing Specialist

It started for me when my dad asked me to program the VCR as a teenager.  For the first time, I could see that my knowledge set, experience at electronics, and willingness to test ideas was greater than his.  Now that I’m a dad, I realize it may have been that he was just too tired to get behind the TV to make all the connections and wanted to give me a sense of accomplishment.  Depending on which eyes you see a situation from can provide a very different set of outcomes.

Written by Lori Amerman, IMEC Operations Coordinator and OSHA Authorized Trainer

The Southern Illinois Occupational Safety & Health (SIOSH) Day conference will be on October 30^th in Carterville, Illinois.  We are excited to announce a full line up of presentations from the U.S. Department of Labor and Illinois Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health programs.

A series of blogs will be produced to share resources on the topics to be presented.  This should help prepare company safety teams to gain a better understanding of tools available and prepare staff.

REGISTER NOW for SIOSH Day 2014

In January 2013, Walmart announced a ten-year plan to spend an additional $250 billion on U.S. made products. A key upcoming event for this initiative is the 2014 U.S. Manufacturing Summit, to be held August 14-15 in Denver, Colorado. The Summit addresses the challenges that some suppliers have identified in finding key domestic "value chain providers" – those that make and sell materials, components, technologies, or services to manufacturing possible – for their products.

Welcome the newest members of the IMEC team, Lisa Kenney and Doug Moehle

Doug Moehle comes to IMEC with more than 28 years of experience in Operations Management and Quality Assurance, primarily from the metal stamping industry. With extensive experience in all facets of operations and quality including the implementation of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement and Quality Assurance systems, Doug is proficient at converting customer needs and business objectives into operational strategies. Specific skills and expertise include operations leadership, six sigma, lean product development, TPM, planning and scheduling, capacity modeling, budgeting and cost control, and safety improvements.

Excerpt from The Hitachi Foundation blog. The Hitachi Foundation is partnering with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC), and several local funders through the Chicagoland Workforce Funders Alliance to launch a new initiative aimed at growing the number of high-quality manufacturing jobs in the Chicago region. 

From Scrap Metal to Precious Metal: Chicago's SIPI Metals Creates Great Products and Great Jobs

Chicago has been at the epicenter of American manufacturing throughout the 20th century. Today 3,700 firms account for more than 100,000 jobs and over $30 billion in annual sales. Despite its endurance, the Chicagoland manufacturing sector faces challenges - securing a skilled workforce, adapting to new technologies, and bringing innovative products to market. To strengthen its position for the future, the region will need to build on lessons from what works among exemplary firms like SIPI Metals Corporation.