Sun, Surf, Sand … and Moldmaking?

My annual summer vacation with the family takes me to North Wildwood, NJ, every June/July, and this year as we strolled the boardwalk, I came across a store selling all kinds of plastic beach goodies—chairs, shovels, buckets, cars, floats, boats … you name it.

What made this store unique among the hundreds of shops on the boardwalk is that all of the merchandise was American-made … and the owner was very proud to promote that fact. I could not leave the store without purchasing something to show my support; and, although the price was a little more than neighboring shops, a green pail and shovel it was, which served us well the rest of the week!

All of this again reminded me of the value of manufacturing to the country and our way of living. So it is with this in mind—as I sit back at my desk to write this month’s message—that I invite you to look into the AMBA (amba.org) and its Fall Conference: Fair Trade Starts with You—Election Year Action! September 28-30 in Washington, DC, where member shops will have scheduled meetings with Senators and Representatives to learn how to work Washington and best express their views on the issues impacting American manufacturing. For example, just because recent reports indicate work coming back to the States from China, there will always be a low-cost provider competitor—Mexico, India, Vietnam, Russia, etc.—so it is still imperative to keep on top of the issues facing your industry.

During the educational program on Wednesday, September 29th, Mike Armbrust, General Manager of Mako Mold and current AMBA President will provide the welcome and speak to the theme of this year’s conference. Doug Wood, President of the Association For Manufacturing Technology, will follow, arming attendees with the information needed and the steps necessary to take action as well as how to accomplish your goals during your time in D.C. Scott Paul will then discuss how to most effectively conduct your meetings. The afternoon will consist of House and Senate Meetings, which continue all day Thursday, September 30th.

I know how passionate MMT’s readers are about what they do, and how hungry you are for new technology and strategies to better your operations and opportunities, so I thought it pertinent to share with you this one example of how you can get better educated and more involved with the issues affecting your trade. If you have any events or organizations that you believe serve this common purpose—to grow the mold manufacturing industry—send their contact information my way, and I’ll be sure to connect with them.