Coming in May, the Technology & Manufacturing Association (TMA) will host it's third annual Mayors for Manufacturing event in conjunction with the Cook County "On the Table" initiative. This event will bring together mayors and other local elected officials with area manufacturers to discuss issues ranging from taxes to pensions and workers compensation - hot button issues for today's business leaders. Last year's Mayors for Manufacturing event saw more than two dozen elected officials and 60+ TMA members and guests at the College of DuPage.

Hall of Fame Plaques and Signs by Trigard is a family-owned company located in central Illinois. Through generations of industry experience, we leverage technology and combine the expertise of our master craftsmen with our exclusive high-tech, direct-to-metal machining technology to create remarkable products displayed across the country.

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Krupowicz as Executive Director of Illinois Performance Excellence (ILPEx). Krupowicz will lead the efforts to ensure ILPEx is the leading choice in Illinois for organizations on the path to world-class performance, including oversight of the annual ILPEx Awards for Excellence process.

Why choose LabelMill label applicator systems? Simple... we are dedicated to the customer! From the initial review of your application to determining and developing a complete solution, we focus on getting you the right solution for your application. Our continued focus on your needs and goals has allowed LabelMill to become a highly respected custom solutions provider. Our success in delivering custom solutions has turned into a complete line of standard modular systems to allow for a common user interface, common controls platform, and common components across all our systems. This design approach simply means more uptime for your lines, less expense in spare parts and easier training cycles for your employees.

M&B Designs was founded by Mitchell and Brittany Budds. They are the owners, designers and builders for all of their items. They have been married for 7 years and have two boys, Bentley and Marshall. Mitchell is a Traceability Software Specialist at Hella Electronics full time and Brittany is the Administrative Assistant at First Christian Church in Flora. The business of selling furniture and decor all started around Christmas 2015 when Mitchell made Brittany an entry table out of pallets. Family and friends started asking if they could make them one as well. After the popularity of this piece of furniture, the idea of making and selling furniture was born. The business has grown rapidly since, with multiple pieces and multiple orders. Mitchell and Brittany enjoy designing and building furniture and decor and this is why they only do limited runs per piece, so that the excitement of building new items is always happening.

Are you struggling to take advantage of growth opportunities in global markets?

Are you re-actively selling to international customers who find you, rather than taking a proactive and strategic approach to international sales?

If YES... ExporTech could be the answer. 

Stockwell Greetings is a Chicago manufacturer and global distributor of vibrant and cutting-edge greeting cards since 1994. Creative thinking, quality-orientated and American made, we are the human approach to social expressions by connecting people in a real way. We offer high quality cards in every category, including Spanish, at a fantastic value to our customers.

Every week, articles are published proclaiming 3D Printing is going to radically change the way that the world works, with some going so far as to predict that we’re on the brink of a global manufacturing revolution.

While those of us who work in manufacturing might say that’s going a bit far, I think many of us are rightfully excited about the potential to harness this thirty-year-old technology in new and exciting ways to continue to drive efficiencies, accelerate prototyping timelines and bring customized end products to the market.

The challenge, of course, is the same as exists with the adoption of any new technology -- figuring out when it’s right for your business, how it can best be implemented and what barriers to adoption exist (ideally before you hit them). 3D Printing continues to be an expensive technology when it comes to industrial-grade equipment, making it a sizeable investment for companies who are interested in exploring it.

Like any new initiative, having a clear plan and asking the right questions at the outset can help pave a smoother path forward. Based on my experience in helping companies of all sizes, there are three key things to keep in mind as you evaluate whether 3D Printing is right for your business.

The Monetary Value of Time
Why Traditional Accounting Systems Make Customers Wait

Tuesday, May 10, 2016 – 2:30 to 7 PM
Radisson Hotel & Conference Center
East State Street & Bell School Road, Rockford

Rick Bastian, Blackhawk Bank Chairman & CEO: “I attended Joyce Warnacut’s presentation at the QRM conference and found her presentation to be eye opening and a challenge to my traditional understanding of manufacturing accounting. Now a college financial officer, she was a CFO at two manufacturing companies in Wisconsin that adopted QRM and put her methods and metrics into successful practice. It is a presentation that puts the power of QRM in perspective.”

"The Monetary Value of Time" presentation is indispensable for manufacturing CEOs, CFOs, GMs and Directors; CPAs, Business, Accounting and Finance Consultants, Advisors and Professors, and Economic Development Professionals. The framework presented will enable organizations to develop consistent measures and ensure that their cost accounting system isn’t motivating behaviors that add to lead time and make customers wait.

Budnick Converting engages in the sale and conversion of adhesive tapes and foams. The company's primary converting services include slitting, die-cutting, printing, spooling, adhesive coating, laminating, xyz axis table-top cutting, and waterjet and in-line laser cutting services. It offers services for various industries, including appliance, point-of-purchase, electronics, transportation, building supply, moving and storage, medical, and distributors. Budnick Converting, Inc. is a woman's owned enterprise. The company was founded in 1952 is based in Columbia, Illinois, near St. Louis, MO. The company has sales, distribution or converting locations in St. Louis, Kansas City, Chattanooga, Dallas, Atlanta and Tampa. It also has a joint venture converting company in Monterrey, Mexico.