Metalforming Matters

PMA was pleased this week to see the Senate pass the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.  One of the largest challenges facing U.S. manufacturers today is the limited number of skilled workers available.  Congressional actions like this one can help us increase the number of people we can hire, boosting job numbers and pushing American manufacturing forward.  Here's a press release we released with the National Tooling and Machining Association on the bill. ONE VOICE APPLAUDS SENATE-APPROVED WORKFORCE TRAINING BILL The National Tooling and Machining Association and the Precision Metalforming Association applauded the U.S. Senate for passing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), H.R. 803 this week by a vote of 95-3. The bipartisan bill updates the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, which covers dozens of job training programs. That bill expired in 2003 and had not been updated in over 15 years, part of the reason for today’s skills gap in manufa...

CLEVELAND, OH—June 26, 2014—The Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) is pleased to announce the election of 10 new members to the association’s Board of Directors. PMA represents the $113-billion metalforming industry of North America and includes 900 member companies located across the United States and Canada. The new additions to the Board include: Associate Member Directors Troy Roberts , president and managing director, AIDA-America Corporation, Dayton, OH Troy Turnbull , president, Industrial Innovations, Inc., Grandville, MI Mark Ullstrup , VP of sales and marketing, Superior Die Set Corp., Oak Creek, WI At-Large Directors Douglas Johnson , vice president of operations, Marion Manufacturing Company, Cheshire, CT District Directors Jessica Abrahamse , VP of sales, Surface Heat Treat and Coatings, Stoney Creek, Ontario (PMA Canada District) William Carper , VP of operations, Columbian Home Products, LLC, Terre Haute, IN (Indiana District) Keith O...

PMA was in the news last week when it was announced that we joined the roster of Manufacturing Day 2014 as a Silver Sponsor. As a reminder, Manufacturing Day is an annual event that takes place in communities across the nation with the goal of supporting local manufacturing. This year, on October 3, manufacturing facilities will open their doors to students, parents, job seekers, and other community members to experience modern manufacturing technology and learn about careers. Our sponsorship is important.  We'll be helping to reach a maximum number of local manufacturers and assisting in coordinating a grassroots effort to improve the public perception of manufacturing in America. PMA's sponsorship earned praise from FMA, one of Manufacturing Day's co-producers.  “The co-producers could not be more pleased that these organizations, which are so dedicated to serving their respective sectors of the manufacturing industry, are putting their full support behind Man...

On June 9, PMA Chairman and CEO of Batesville Tool & Die, Jody Fledderman, was featured on Inside INdiana Business to discuss his company’s involvement in a manufacturing education program in southeast Indiana. Jody Fledderman PMA Chairman and CEO of Batesville Tool & Die Batesville Tool & Die, along with the Batesville School Corporation, IvyTech Community College, and three other local area businesses, have teamed up to give high school students a chance to gain hands-on experience in the modern manufacturing world. Inside Indiana Business reported that, through the program, freshmen and sophomore students can take elective courses featuring design and manufacturing curriculums. After an application process, juniors can then enter a 2-year program which allows them to gain college credit as well as access to internship and shadowing opportunities. Happily, the piece indicated, the program continues to grow each year.  Next Fall, more than 25 students w...

On May 29, 2014, business leaders, education officials, and community members gathered at PMA member Walker Corporation’s manufacturing facility to announce the release of a new research report by ReadyNation/America’s Edge. The report comes in response to employer concerns about California’s growing skills gap and the need to fill high-skilled positions. Michael Bermudez, Vice President and General Manager of Walker Corporation spoke to the need for finding candidates with “good problem-solving skills and basic understanding of how to provide leadership on the manufacturing room.” Additionally, Bermudez shared that many companies are finding difficulty in filling high-skilled positions due to a work-force with limited education. The report, entitled “ Fortifying the Inland Empire’s Talent Pipeline: Closing our “Skills Gaps” through Linked Learning ,” suggests that, by 2020, over 66 percent of jobs created in California will require formal education beyond high school. Recognizing...