Contact:
Loree Blue
Director of Marketing and Communications
NC State University Industry Expansion Solutions
The North Carolina Manufacturing Partnership
lblue@ncsu.edu | 336-416-6595
The North Carolina Manufacturing Conference, MFGCON, will be May 13-14, 2024, hosted by the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership and Business North Carolina Magazine
The state manufacturing conference will be held at the Durham Convention Center, in Durham, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina – February 14, 2024 – The North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) and Business North Carolina Magazine are hosting the 2024 North Carolina Manufacturing Conference, MFGCON, on May 13-14, 2024, at the Durham Convention Center, 301 W Morgan St, Durham, NC 27701.
The MFGCON manufacturing conference is the annual state event providing opportunities to collaborate with industry experts and business peers to advance the manufacturing industry. The conference begins at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 13, 2024 and concludes at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
Follow the NCMEP LinkedIn or the NCMEP X accounts for conference communication!
The 2024 NCMEP Manufacturing Leadership Awards will be announced at MFGCON in the following categories:
- Developing Markets/Economic Development Award
- Continuous Improvement Award
- Innovation Award
- Advanced Talent Management/Workforce Development Award
- Sustainable Manufacturing Award
- Community Outreach Award
- Excellence in Manufacturing Award
Check out the previous NCMEP Manufacturing Leadership Award winners!
Agenda
May 13, 2024
| 1 p.m. | Registration |
| 1:30 p.m. | Opening remarks |
| 2 p.m. | Opening keynote |
| 3 p.m. | Three concurrent breakout sessions |
| 4 p.m. | NCMEP Manufacturing Leadership Awards ceremony |
| 4:30-6 p.m. | Celebration of North Carolina manufacturing reception and vendor trade show |
May 14, 2024
| 7 a.m. | Registration |
| 7:30 a.m. | Breakfast available |
| 8 a.m. | Opening remarks |
| 8:15 a.m. | General sessions: |
| – Topic 1: Supplier Matching | |
| – Topic 2: AI in Manufacturing | |
| 9:30 a.m. | Three concurrent breakout sessions |
| 10:30 a.m. | Networking break and exhibits |
| 11 a.m. | Three concurrent breakout sessions |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 12:30 p.m. | Keynote speaker |
| 1:30 p.m. | Closing comments and door prizes |
Workforce + Leadership Excellence Sessions
Partnering for a Successful Apprenticeship Program
Jay Simmons – Apprenticeship Program Manager, Machine Specialties
An Innovative Model for Addressing Skilled Labor Shortage
Bill McBrayer – Human Resources, Safety, Health and Environmental Manager, Lexington Home Brands
Sustainability and the Circular Economy Panel
Roland Butzke – Enterprise Account Executive, Sustainable Energy Management, Siemens Industry, Inc.
Matthew Flowers – Corporate Purchasing Manager, Unifi; Kevin Martin, Executive Director, Carolina Utility Customers Association (Moderator)
Operational Excellence
Journey to Manufacturing Excellence
Ryan Biddix – Continuous Improvement Manager, Teijin – Lenoir; Tracy Gray, Plant Manager, Teijin Automotive Systems – Lenoir and Mark Parsons, Operations Manager, Teijin – Lenoir
GE Aerospace’s Key to Manufacturing Success – Exceeding Customer Expectations Through Learning and Consensus
Ed Zimmerman – Leap Manufacturing Program Leader, GE Aerospace
Navigating the Digital Transformation Journey
Scott DuPre – Sales Consultant, Vision 33
Technology, Innovation and Strategic Growth
Food Safety and Security and Cybersecurity for Manufacturing Firms
Eric Hobbs – President, Technology Associates; Michael Druga, President and CEO, SinnovaTek and Tyler Brown, VP of Manufacturing, SinnovaTek and FirstWave Innovations
Using TWI (Training Within Industry) as a Foundation for Standardized Work
Dan Grimsley – Corporate Learning and Development Manager, Chatsworth Products, Inc.
Utilizing Kata for Improvement
Brandon Bunn – Kaizen Promotion Officer, NC Correction Enterprises
