Across the country, October 5th will be recognized as National Manufacturing Day, an annual event sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers. In Delaware, we celebrate Manufacturing Week, and this year Governor Carney signed a proclamation for this event at the newly opened Datwyler production hub in Middletown.
 
Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is — and what it isn’t. By working together during and after MFG DAY, manufacturers will begin to address the skilled labor shortage they face, connect with future generations, take charge of the public image of manufacturing, and ensure the ongoing prosperity of the whole industry.

MFG DAY is designed to amplify the voice of individual manufacturers and coordinate a collective chorus of manufacturers with common concerns and challenges. The rallying point for a growing mass movement, MFG DAY empowers manufacturers to come together to address their collective challenges so they can help their communities and future generations thrive.

In Delaware, events are taking place around the state, with local companies inviting students in for tours of their facilities to showcase the kinds of rewarding careers that can be had in manufacturing. With the current generation of workers quickly aging out into retirement, there exists plenty of good paying jobs for those interested and willing to work. 

Learn more at MFGDay.com. Chamber members should use #MFGDay18 in social media posts share their photos and events with the State Chamber.

by Mark DiMaio

On Wednesday, October 4, the PPG Dover plant marked National Manufacturing Day (October 6, 2017) by welcoming Dover High School students that participate in the Delaware Technical Community College’s Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Program to the facility. The students, along with instructors and representatives from the Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP), toured PPG Dover and heard presentations about the plant’s processes and products.  

“National Manufacturing Day is exciting for PPG because it presents an opportunity to show students and community members what a manufacturing plant is really like,” said Neal Nicastro, PPG plant manager, Dover. “We will educate the students about the advances in science and technology that have transformed manufacturing into a great industry with many career options.”

This is the PPG Dover plant’s fourth year hosting an event with local students for National Manufacturing Day - an initiative organized by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) to address the skilled labor shortage, connect with future generations of manufacturers and ensure the success of the manufacturing industry. The PPG Dover facility, which employs approximately 80 people, makes interior and exterior paint for residential and commercial applications under the OLYMPIC®, PPG PITTSBURGH PAINTS® and PPG PORTER PAINTS® brands.

​by Rustyn Stoops

Delaware Technical Community College, The Delaware Manufacturing Extension Partnership (DEMEP) and the Delaware Manufacturing Association (DMA) joined together in response to Governor Jack Markell’s proclamation of Delaware Manufacturing Week (Sept. 28-Oct 2), which coincides with National Manufacturing Day, October 2. The weeklong celebration of manufacturing in Delaware was created to recognize that manufacturing has a powerful and positive impact on Delaware’s economy.

Delaware Tech’s President, Dr. Mark Brainard, is an advocate for the manufacturing community and is proud of the College’s efforts to work with the DMA and other partners to educate the next generation of modern manufacturing workers in Delaware – from high school students to adult learners.

DEMEP and DMA worked together to organize tours during manufacturing week for high school and college students at several manufacturers throughout the state. Those tours will show the variety of career paths available to Delaware graduates and the value of a technical education. Participating companies include Eagle Group, ILC, PPG, Edgewell Personal Products, DENTSPLY/Caulk, Beracah Homes, Fujifilm and Bloom Energy.  Along with showcasing their products these companies are proud to show their modern, high-tech workspaces and value they bring to the Delaware economy and local communities.
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To learn more or to get involved in a tour next year, contact me at [email protected].