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MEP National Network

Celebrating Manufacturing Day 2021 — Three Ways to Create a Great Hybrid Event

September 24, 2021

While Fridays have always been a reason to celebrate, the first Friday of October is one that is near and dear to the MEP National Network TM, as this year

How to Scout for Your Next Business Growth Opportunity

September 8, 2021

Manufacturers displayed an abundance of resiliency in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, and about half say their manufacturing business will be thriving a

What is Workforce Innovation?

August 30, 2021

This blog is the sixth in a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the growth

Hawaiian Chip Company Passes Third-Party Audit

August 20, 2021

Hawaiian Chip Company began in 2000 and is best known for unique, boldly flavored sweet potato and taro chips. Its products are made using only the highest

MEP National Network by the Numbers: Industry Highlights

August 10, 2021

This is the first in a series of blogs examining the sectoral composition of the MEP National Network TM client project activity. The MEP National Network has

Developing a New Era for Smarter Food Safety

August 5, 2021

In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that June 7 every year would be celebrated as World Food Safety Day. In 2020, the World Health

Blast from the Past: Why Manufacturers Should Get More Involved in Registered Apprenticeships

July 28, 2021

This blog is the fifth in a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the growth

Supporting Digital Transformation with Legacy Components

July 20, 2021

“Information is the oil of the 21st century, and analytics is the combustion engine.” – Peter Sondergaard, Senior Vice President, Gartner Research Digital

How Smaller Manufacturers Can Take Advantage of Additive Manufacturing

July 13, 2021

“I’ve heard additive manufacturing is key to driving innovation in our industry, but how does it really deliver value?” “We’ve looked at some additive

Workplace Development is the New Workforce Development

June 30, 2021

This blog is the fourth in a monthly series brought to you by the America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the

Digital Supply Chain Assessment Sets Stage for Optimizing Performance

June 10, 2021

The premise for the NIST MEP Digital Supply Chain Network project is familiar to MEP Centers — many small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) are often not

Introducing the MEP Workforce Database

May 26, 2021

This blog is the third in a monthly series brought to you by the new America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the

Aerospace and Defense Manufacturer Realizes $450,000 In New Sales Due to Increased Capacity

May 21, 2021

GrovTec US, Inc. is a contract manufacturer of aerospace and defense parts that has a large footprint in retail firearms accessories. Based in Wood Village

Walsh Door & Security Receives Inventory Management Support

May 13, 2021

Walsh Door & Security, founded in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1930, is the Midwest’s leading provider of premium commercial door, frame, hardware and electronic

Iron University

April 30, 2021

Alliant Castings, based in Winona, Minnesota, is a foundry manufacturing abrasion and impact resistant castings for a variety of heavy-duty industries including

Edge Cycling Supplier Scouting

April 23, 2021

Edge Cycling Technologies, located in Dayton, Ohio, is the manufacturer of a bicycle saddle that reduces the pressure points that are created by conventional

MEP Centers – On the Frontlines of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

April 6, 2021

This blog is the second in a monthly series brought to you by the new America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the

E.G.O. North America – New Ways to Grow 90-Year-Old Business

March 26, 2021

E.G.O., a global manufacturer of domestic appliance technology, components and products for manufacturing radiant heating elements, made a name for itself in

America Works – An Innovative Approach to Workforce Development

March 9, 2021

This blog is the first in a monthly series brought to you by the new America Works initiative. As a part of the MEP National Network’s goal of supporting the

Detecting Abnormal Cyber Behavior Before a Cyberattack

March 5, 2021

The promise of advanced manufacturing technologies — also known as smart factories or Industry 4.0 — is that by networking our machines, computers, sensors and

Sometimes It’s Not Easy Being a Small Manufacturer

February 23, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented big challenges for small manufacturers. That was the message of three leaders from manufacturing companies located in two

U.S. Manufacturing to the MEP National Network: Don’t Let Up!

February 17, 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has asked much of manufacturing executives. They’ve had to make decisions about staffing and operations in the face of tremendous health

After a March (and More) of Madness, What’s Next for Manufacturers?

February 10, 2021

The six manufacturing executives participating in a Sept. 25, 2020, virtual conversation spent much of the time discussing what comes after the pandemic has

Pandemic Makes Plain Need for Manufacturing Workforce

February 4, 2021

In the Sept. 18, 2020, session of the “National Conversation with Manufacturers,” our three West Coast manufacturing leaders on the panel kept coming back to

Sometimes You Just Have To Go Fishing Says Manufacturing Executives

January 12, 2021

Sometimes you just have to go fishing. Seriously. That’s one of the messages manufacturing executives from West Coast and Mountain states passed along during a

How Daycare and Industrial Entrepreneurship Relate to Manufacturing’s Recovery

December 23, 2020

Two subjects that came up that I wasn’t expecting (but probably should have been) in a conversation with manufacturing executives were daycare and

Rethinking Business Risk After the Great Lockdown

December 16, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has made us more aware of the items we purchase on a regular basis and how they get to store shelves and to our doors. Anyone else still

COVID-19 — The Disease That Is Reshaping Manufacturing

December 9, 2020

Unless you’ve been living on private island (send invite immediately!), it’s no secret that the pandemic has changed the way manufacturers operate and run their

Midwestern Manufacturing Leaders Learning the Lessons of Testing Times

December 1, 2020

I think we’d all say that this year has been different than we thought it would be way back in January. Plans had to change; adaptations had to be made. Video

Midwest Manufacturers — Make Do, Can Do, Will Do

November 17, 2020

As a proud son of the Midwest (yes, my family does exchange holiday cheese, and yes, it’s delicious, we have no regrets), I was particularly interested in the

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About this blog

Manufacturing Innovation, the blog of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), is a resource for manufacturers, industry experts and the public on key U.S. manufacturing topics. There are articles for those looking to dive into new strategies emerging in manufacturing as well as useful information on tools and opportunities for manufacturers.

The views presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of NIST.

If you have any questions about our blog, please contact us at mfg [at] nist.gov (mfg[at]nist[dot]gov).

Manufacturing Innovation Blog