I’m Opening “The Big M: Manufacturing Convergence” Conference in Detroit!

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Final preparation in the home office here for what will prove to be a fun event next week!

I’m headlining both the dinner, and am part of the opening events for “The Big M: Manufacturing Conference” in Detroit.
TheBigM

On Monday night, I will be speaking to a packed audience of manufacturing executives and engineers at the SME Gala Dinner.

And on Tuesday morning, I’ll be part of the opening of this massive Detroit based manufacturing with a talk focused on future trends and opportunities in the renaissance that is North American manufacturing. I will be on stage immediately following President Obama’s Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker. It’s a delight that the conference is getting the attention it receives with such a senior Cabinet member in attendance — and I’m thrilled to be on stage with her.

This is a wonderful gig, and is a repeat booking from the SME, who had me play a headlining role at their 2010 IMX (Interactive Manufacturing Exchange) event in Las Vegas. That was a huge amount of fun — I had dinner with Peter Schutz,  recently retired CEO of Porsche.

The Big M is a BIG event.

As noted on the Web site for the conference, “THE BIG M is more than an event. It is an unprecedented gathering of stakeholders that will drive a movement toward building a strong future for manufacturing.  THE BIG M is groundbreaking in that it brings together individuals, companies and policy-makers from all areas of manufacturing to mindshare and tackle the challenges of the industry head-on. This isn’t about just starting a discussion. It’s about making connections, jumpstarting the conversation and forging ahead toward real results, real solutions. It’s about making things happen and improving the future of the Great Lakes region through a reimagined manufacturing industry.”

When I spoke in Las Vegas years ago, my key theme was against the prevailing wisdom of the time that North American manufacturing was dead, kaput, gone. Just before I was to go on stage, the Huffington Post was running yet another article about the ‘death of manufacturing.’

"The Spirit of Detroit" -- a 3D printed mini-model of the original. Read more on the BIG M conference Web site on Facebook!
“The Spirit of Detroit” — a 3D printed mini-model of the original. Read more on the BIG M conference Web site on Facebook!

My message? Most certainly not. Robotics, advanced manufacturing technologies, realignment of manufacturing-to-inventory to manufacturing-to-demand business models, agility — everything was there to provide a resurgence in the sector.

And it’s even more real today.

As the Web site for the conference also notes, “This event will bring together all things advanced manufacturing, covering innovation, digital factory, cybersecurity, new technology, talent, 3D printing, globalization, modeling, simulation and sustainability. This can’t be done solely through exhibits and panel discussions so THE BIG M will have dynamic experiences covering these core manufacturing topics.”

Check out the event Facebook page for more information….

There is so much innovation going on in the world of manufacturing that it is difficult to know where to start!

But that’s my job and my challenge at the Gala dinner Monday night and Tuesday morning as I participate in the opening events for this massively wonderful conference.

 

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