Central Massachusetts manufacturers and business organizations are ramping up for National Manufacturing Day that will take place on October 2.
Manufacturing Day activities in Worcester will kick off a day early on Oct. 1 with a “Made in Central Mass. – Manufacturing Matters” invitation-only panel discussion at the Beechwood Hotel from 4 to 5 p.m. to be followed by a reception. The discussion will be hosted by the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and its affiliate chambers.
The event is intended to empower manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges in order to help their communities and future generations thrive.
Panelists will include Keith A. Poirier, Environmental, Health & Safety Manager of Bonded Abrasives & Superabrasives at Saint-Gobain Abrasives; Bill DiBenedetto, President of the Lampin Corporation; and Leslie Parady, Workforce Development Manager at MassMEP. Stuart Loosemore at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce can be contacted with any questions about the event.
Many manufacturing companies around the country and in Central Massachusetts will open their doors with public tours on the following day. One of those local businesses is AIS in Leominster.
AIS, which manufactures commercial office furniture, will host public events on Oct. 2 that will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Leominster Mayor Dean J. Mazzarella, according to the company. Facility tours, demonstrations, presentations and discussions are planned for the event. Registration is required and available at www.mfgday.com.
The celebration of manufacturing comes as the Mass Manufacturing Extension Project (MassMEP) believes Massachusetts is facing a shortfall in skilled workers.
Growth in the sector was strong last year, with a 71 percent increase in new hires across the state, according to the group. Statewide, manufacturing companies in 2014 had a nearly 67 percent increase in jobs created, according to the group. Additional figures include a 63 percent increase in sales and a 79 percent increase in cost savings. Across Worcester County, 31,729 people were employed in manufacturing and nearly 10,000 people had city-based manufacturing jobs.
However, an aging workforce will only increase demand for skilled manufacturing workers, according to Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tim Murray.
“By 2020, there will be 100,000 people leaving manufacturing [in Massachusetts] because they’ll be aging out,” he said in a statement. “Even if we didn’t add jobs, we need to expand the pipeline.”
More information about the national event can be found at www.mfgday.com.
