51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Washington, D.C.Ìý– 51³Ô¹ÏÍø President and CEO Jay Timmons will travel toÌýRaleigh, North Carolina, on Friday, February 22,Ìýduring the fifth-annual 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State of Manufacturing Tour. Timmons will be joined by North Carolina manufacturers, students, employees and business and community leaders to discuss the rewarding and diverse opportunities in manufacturing and to underscore the urgent need to inspire more Americans to join the manufacturing workforce. Timmons will also be joined on the tour by Carolyn Lee, executive director of The Manufacturing Institute, the workforce and education partner of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø.

Manufacturing has always been the source of America’s strength—and today, we’re building the future. We’re rising to the occasion to solve real-world problems. We’re leading in technological advances, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and augmented reality, that, contrary to the naysayers, will be a net positive for job creation, will boost wages and will help us lift everyone up and leave no one behind. This tour will show us exactly how that’s happening and share this message with more Americans. We’re at the next frontier of manufacturing in the United States, and we should not fear the future, said Timmons.

Manufacturing employs more than 12.8 million Americans, including 464,200 North Carolinians.ÌýTheÌýtourÌýwill spotlight the next frontier in modern manufacturing—how cutting-edge technologies and our traditional strong work ethic are helping manufacturers solve tomorrow’s challenges today. In addition, theÌýtourÌýwill highlight the diverse manufacturing job opportunities and how the industry is working to fill more than 4.6 million jobs over the next decade.

WHAT: ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State of Manufacturing Tour 2019ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý

WHEN:ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Friday, February 22 // North CarolinaÌý

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST

Johnston Community College – Workforce Development Center

135 Best Wood Drive

Clayton, NC 27520

2:15 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. EST

NC Chamber of Commerce – Roundtable with Area Business Leaders

701 Corporate Center Drive

Raleigh, NC 27607

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST

Protolabs

3700 Pleasant Grove Church Road

Morrisville, NC 27560Ìý

To end the first week of the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State of Manufacturing Tour, Timmons will visit the Johnston Community College Workforce Development Center to tour the facility and to learn more about how the college is workingÌýto meet the growing need for more talent in the region, especially in the biopharmaceutical industry. Timmons will then gather with North Carolina business leaders for a roundtable discussion. The group will discuss modern manufacturing and its role in the 21st century. Timmons will finish the day participating in a discussion about workforce diversification with several Protolabs employees.

The 2019 tour follows the best year in more than two decades for manufacturing job creation. Manufacturers, empowered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, are reporting record levels of optimism, with an average of 92.4 percent having a positive outlook for their company’s future in 2018, according to the latest 51³Ô¹ÏÍøÌý. In addition to North Carolina, the tour will visit Colorado, Texas, Ohio, Iowa, Minnesota, California and Arizona.

MEDIA RSVP:ÌýMembers of the media interested in covering the tour or attending an event should contactÌý[email protected]. To learn more about the 51³Ô¹ÏÍø State of Manufacturing Tour 2019, clickÌý.

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The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø (51³Ô¹ÏÍø) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employsÌýmore thanÌý12 million men and women, contributes $2.25Ìýtrillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts forÌýmore than three-quartersÌýof private-sector research and development. The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø is the powerful voice of the manufacturing community and the leading advocate for a policy agenda that helps manufacturers compete in the global economy and create jobs across the United States. For more information about the Manufacturers or to follow us on Shopfloor, Twitter and Facebook, please visitÌýwww.nam.org.