January 2020
I
t’s a new decade but what does that mean for
Michigan’s most essential economic sector? Is
manufacturing going to continue to rise or will we
see a slow-down or, worse, another downward
trend? And, most importantly, what can your
business do about it?
MMA reached out to leading manufacturers
from across the state to ask them about what’s on
the horizon as they prepare for the 2020s. Find out
what they said and how your business can thrive
over the next 10 years:
Q: What will the next decade
MiMfg Magazine
MMA asked member companies about where
the industry is going in the next 10 years and
how their peers can prepare to lead the way.
• What will the next decade look like for industry?
• Is there one area of technology, one type of
talent skill, or one critical way of thinking that
manufacturers need to develop or locate to hit
its peak potential in the next decade?
• What are the biggest challenges or game-changers
that could affect how manufacturers do business
in the next 10 years?
look like for industry? • How can manufacturers prepare to succeed
in the 2020s?
Jon DeWys: Manufacturing is at a crucible • What do manufacturers need to do to remain
ahead of the curve in a changing industry?
heading into the next decade. Finding employees
to support a growing business model continues to
get more challenging. The K-12 and Community
Colleges are doing amazing things to attract the
next generation into manufacturing careers but yet
there still is a gap in getting students to sign up.
Companies are offsetting the lack of finding
talent by making huge investments in automation,
especially in the area of collaborative robots.
Companies that are not truly investing in their
workforce are going to lose out. Now more than
ever is manufacturing’s best chance to expand;
they just need to put the money where their
mouth is. When they do, they will succeed.
Phil Sponsler: We are going to be able to do
things we never thought possible. Cutting-edge
technologies offer opportunities for manufacturers
to experience wildly new and improved ways to
make their products. The game-changing
advances in technology, communication and
data will transform everything from how we
make things to what manufacturing jobs are
available. The future is almost limitless.
Amigo Mobility International Inc.
City
Bridgeport
Website
www.myamigo.com
Member Since
April 2010
• What is one piece of advice you’d give to help
manufacturers be ready for the next decade
of manufacturing?
Jeff Daniel: Exciting times are in front of us.
Whether it’s autonomous vehicles, artificial
intelligence, robots, cloud-based technology or
any of the other many game-changing items —
they can all impact our industries and businesses.
Interest rates and energy prices continue to be
low and our economy continues to be strong. The
current available technology can significantly reduce
our cost, provide better and timely data to all our
employees. There is a lot to be excited about!
Q: Is there one area of technology, one type of
talent skill, or one critical way of thinking
that manufacturers need to develop or locate
to hit its peak potential in the next decade?
Mike LaBrake: It is critical that you work with
your suppliers as an engineering source. With
the speed of technology advancement, it’s too
difficult for your in-house staff to be experts in
all areas. Build close relationships with your
suppliers and use their knowledge in specific
areas to advance your products.
Jeff Metts: Technology is wonderful and it will
Jennifer Thieme Kehres
Director of Business Development
Mike LaBrake
Director of Service
continue to develop in the days ahead. If we fell
asleep today and woke up 10 years from now,
we would surely have a difficult time recognizing
the world. However, I would be willing to bet
that, at their core, people have remained the same.
This is where we need to excel. We need to
become the developers of people. We need
to teach them how to think critically and
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