PLAINS TWP. — Eric Joseph Esoda, President and CEO at NEPIRC, opened Friday’s 2023 Manufacturing Best Practices Summit and Expo by stating that NEPIRC is “changing the conversation about manufacturing”
Esoda addressed the 105 vendors and more than 600 attendees at the event held at Mohegan Pennsylvania.
“We are changing the conversation to highlight that manufacturers are innovative, high-tech and socially responsible firms that offer good-paying, reliable and rewarding employment to more than 45,000 people in Northeastern Pennsylvania and over 580,000 Pennsylvanians statewide,” Esoda said. “Manufacturing Day is an opportunity for all area manufacturers, businesses that provide services to manufacturers and individuals who want to learn more about Northeastern Pennsylvania’s growing manufacturing sector to gather together under one roof at the region’s most impactful manufacturing networking event.”
Highlights from the NEPIRC — Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center — event included a keynote speech from Crayola COO Pete Ruggiero; comments from Rep. Matt Cartwright, Rep. Dan Meuser and state DCED Secretary Rick Siger; and panel discussions moderated by Dr. Christine Kiesinger and InnoTek Computer Consulting, Inc. President Fred Reck.
“This event promises a high ROI for all attendees,” Esoda said. “People who are looking to network with key decision makers in the manufacturing sector, to learn more about the work these companies do and stay up to date on the latest trends in manufacturing, are attending today’s expo. With more than 105 exhibitors, this year’s event is the largest manufacturing expo in the history of our region and promises to be a worthwhile educational event.”
Dr. Christine Kiesinger, principal, CEK Communication Consultancy, moderated the Women Leaders in Manufacturing panel discussion and she presented a morning breakout session entitled “Cultivating Calm: Understanding and Responding to Personal and Relational Burnout.”
Additional breakout sessions and roundtable topic discussions included:
• Refueling the Talent Pipeline: The Importance of Familiarity
• 3D Scanning and Reverse Engineering
• Workplace Trends Impacting Safety
• Deciphering Aerospace Certifications and Entering the Aerospace Supply Chain
• Subcontracting and Partnerships in Government Markets sponsored by NEPA Alliance Apex Accelerator
• Demystifying Compliance: What Cybersecurity Requirements Mean for NEPA Manufacturers sponsored by InnoTek Computer Consulting
In addition to breakout sessions, exhibits and networking sessions, students from the Tunkhannock Area High School U.S. FIRST Robotics Team held a robotics demonstration and the Johnson College Mobile Technology Lab was parked outside the convention center. The 35-foot-long trailer is outfitted with student workstations and equipment for training in STEM and building trades.
“Attendees are able to see product demonstrations, learn more about the wide variety of products manufactured right in their own backyards, and network with decision-makers, buyers and business owners,” Esoda said. “We are grateful to our many sponsors for the support that makes this event possible.”
Cartwright, Meuser deliver virtual remarks
U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Moosic, offered remarks virtually from Washington D.C. He told the attendees that by participating in NEPIRC, they are part of a unique public-private partnership for small and medium-sized manufacturers in an increasingly competitive technology-driven economy.
“For every $1 of federal investment in M-E-P’s, we see $35 in sales growth, and that adds up to billions nationally,” Cartwright said. “Regionally, we must be doing something right because, for a third year in a row, Northeast Pennsylvania has been recognized as one of the top regions in the U.S. for economic development.”
Cartwright said part of the secret for this success is, of course, location, location, location.
“Our proximity to major metropolitan markets really sets us apart, with 100 million American and Canadian consumers within an overnight drive,” Cartwright said. “Now, as our economic development organizations and municipal governments work feverishly to utilize the recent, historic federal investments in rail, roads, bridges, broadband, and microchips, our advantage can continue to rise.
”After all, we already know how to make things in Northeast Pennsylvania — it’s in our DNA. We’ve been manufacturing since the discovery of anthracite coal, forging steel into a national railroad system, and literally electrifying communities.”
Cartwright said Pennsylvania is now the 6th largest industrial state, and in 2021, nearly 52,000 people were employed in manufacturing in Northeast Pennsylvania — at more than 1,000 firms.
Cartwright said he feels even more growth for NEPA depends on several key factors, like continued innovation in high-tech education and capabilities to meet the high standards for aerospace, defense, and cyberspace products.
“We also need accessible work environments and more diverse and inclusive hiring practices,” Cartwright said. “And we must continue to invest in clean energy technologies and more housing for employees at every income level.”
Cartwright added that the pandemic highlighted a few shortcomings in our system, adding remote learning, remote work options, and a heightened appreciation of a good work-life balance.
”I’ve discovered employers who are happy to provide alternatives to college and offer on-the-job training,” Cartwright said. “Others offer paid internships and apprenticeships while in school.”
Cartwright closed by saying that our region is a great place to live and work.
“A lot of things get made here, and we need to make sure the rest of the state, the country, and the world gets that message loud and clear,” he said.
Meuser adds his comments
Meuser said the NEPIRC event allowed everyone to learn about the incredible products being made in Pennsylvania, participate in educational breakout sessions to help grow and strengthen businesses, and hear from internationally known manufacturers.
“Just in the last fiscal year alone, 167 manufacturers turned to NEPIRC for advice, training, and technical assistance,” Meuser said. “Your guidance and expertise clearly had a significant impact, helping your clients create nearly 1,200 jobs, expand and modernize their businesses, and help them grow.”
Meuser said manufacturing plays a significant role in the economic prosperity of Pennsylvania.
“Not only do manufacturers employ more than 575,000 Pennsylvanians, but they contribute more than $116 billion a year to our Gross State Product GSP — which in terms of output, represents the sixth largest industrial economy in the United States,” Meuser said. “And from my more than 20 years of experience in manufacturing in Northeast Pennsylvania, I understand the challenges you face. I spent my business career helping grow a small business into a large business and helping our small business customer base be successful.”