51�Թ���

Washington, D.C. –��The 51�Թ��� announced in a�� to members of the U.S. Senate today that it will key-vote against passage of S.J. Res. 8, a Joint Resolution Recognizing the Duty of the Federal Government to Create a Green New Deal.

Manufacturers are committed to keeping our promise—to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and take strong steps to combat climate change, �ɰ��dzٱ���51�Թ��� Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse. S.J. Res. 8 would require the federal government to decarbonize the manufacturing, transportation and electric power sectors in an unrealistic 10-year time frame. Manufacturers agree with many of the individual goals of S.J. Res. 8, such as investing in energy and water efficiency, upgrading the power grid, expanding fuel diversity, repairing infrastructure and reducing GHG emissions. However, S.J. Res. 8 is impractical in both its scope and its timeline. Manufacturers agree that more action is needed on climate; S.J. Res. 8, however, is the wrong answer.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. –��The 51�Թ��� has begun pushing back on a wave of onerous health care bills in state capitols across the country. Since December, the 51�Թ��� has come out in opposition to legislation in Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon and Utah that seeks to lower the cost of prescription drugs but would erode manufacturers’ intellectual property protections, chill innovation or expose U.S. consumers to unsafe medicines.

There is no question that skyrocketing health care costs are disrupting families and businesses around the country, but these legislative proposals come with serious and untenable side effects for both manufacturers and patients in America, said 51�Թ��� Vice President of Infrastructure, Innovation and Human Resources Policy Robyn Boerstling. These misguided bills could undermine intellectual property rights, chill innovation or threaten to expose patients to unsafe medicines. Manufacturers support efforts to increase access to affordable medicines, but these pieces of legislation are a classic example of how good intentions can lead to negative outcomes that fail to contain health care costs.

• ������Michigan, the 51�Թ��� came out in opposition to H.B. 5223 in December 2018, which threatens manufacturers’ intellectual property protections by requiring them in certain cases to submit a substantial amount of proprietary data, including costs associated with R&D, to the state Department of Health and Human Services, with no protections for the data submitted. ����������� for more.
• ������Minnesota, the 51�Թ��� came out in opposition to House File 1246 in March 2019, which would threaten intellectual property protections by requiring manufacturers to disclose highly-sensitive proprietary information, creating unnecessarily burdensome requirements that are contrary to the free and competitive market that has allowed biopharmaceuticals to develop new life-saving treatments. ����������� for more.
• ������Oregon, the 51�Թ��� came out in opposition to a legislative proposal in January 2019 that would authorize the state to apply for federal approval to import prescription drugs from Canada, which does not have the same standards or long-established mechanisms in place to protect patients as the U.S. ����������� for more.
• In Utah, the 51�Թ��� came out in opposition to H.B. 267 in March 2019, which would authorize the state to apply for federal approval to import prescription drugs from Canada. The bill could expose consumers to counterfeit and adulterated therapies because Canada does not make product safety guarantees to the U.S. ����������� for more.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. –��The Manufacturing Leadership Council, a division of the 51�Թ���, today unveiled the list of world-class manufacturing companies and individual leaders set to receive recognition as winners of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards. ML Awards winners and their partners will be honored on June 12, 2019, at a gala celebration that concludes the 15th annual����in Huntington Beach, Calif. In addition, the High Achiever Awards in each category, Manufacturers of the Year, the Manufacturing Leader of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award winners, will be announced at the gala.

To see the list of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards winners, click��.

Congratulations to all of the 2019 Manufacturing Leadership Awards winners, said Manufacturing Leadership Council Co-Founder, Vice President and Executive Director David R. Brousell. By embracing new technologies and bold ideas, these teams and individual leaders are redefining the meaning of manufacturing excellence and demonstrating the transformative power of Manufacturing 4.0.

The 80 projects and individuals on the list of ML Awards winners represent small and large enterprises in a wide range of manufacturing markets. They all leverage best-in-class processes, technologies and engaged teams to set themselves apart from the competition. Winners for 2019 include Ford, IBM, Cisco Systems, Merck, The Dow Chemical Company, Northrop Grumman and Saint-Gobain.

Now in its 15th year, the ML Awards program honors organizations and individuals that are shaping the future of global manufacturing. Entries are submitted in 11 categories. Nominations are evaluated and scored by a panel of��. Nine categories are for outstanding projects by a manufacturing company. Project categories include Artificial Intelligence and Analytics Leadership, Industrial Internet of Things Leadership, Operational Excellence Leadership and Talent Management Leadership. Two categories, Visionary Leadership and Next-Generation Leadership, recognize the achievements of individual manufacturing leaders.

��is a one-of-kind interactive gathering of manufacturing leaders from around the world. The theme for the 2019 Summit is “Manufacturing 4.0: Going for Gold—Strategies to Identify and Deliver Business Value from the Digital Revolution’s Next Phase.” Featured speakers include Peter Holicki, Senior Vice President, Operations Manufacturing & Engineering Environment, Health & Safety Operations, Dow Chemical Co., and the recipient of the 2018 Manufacturing Leader of the Year Award.

The nomination period for the 2020 Manufacturing Leadership Awards will open in September.

Expert judges for the 2019 ML Awards were:

Co-Founder, Vice President, Executive Director
Manufacturing Leadership Council

Billy Bardin
Global Operations Technology Director��
The Dow Chemical Company

Vice President, Supply Chain
IBM

CEO
UI Labs

Michele D’Alessandro
Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Manufacturing IT
Merck & Co., Inc.

Global Senior Manager, Corporate Sustainability
Lexmark International

Founder and President
Women in Manufacturing

CEO
VirTex Enterprises

Vice President
North America Chief Operating Officer
Nexteer Automotive

Praveen Jonnala
Vice President, Global Business Solutions Development
Commscope

Director, Advanced Manufacturing Programs
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

T Sarangarajan
Senior Vice President, Operations
Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited

Selden O. Swain
Global Head of Production
Triumph Intertrade AG

President
Graphicast Inc.

-MLC-

Founded in 2008, and now a division of the 51�Թ���, the Manufacturing Leadership Council’s mission is to inspire and support manufacturing executives to achieve transformational growth for themselves, their companies and the industry at large through enlightened leadership. With more than 1,300 senior-level members from many of the world’s leading manufacturing companies, the MLC focuses on the intersection of advanced digital technologies and the business, identifying growth and improvement opportunities in the operation, organization and leadership of manufacturing enterprises as they pursue their journeys to Manufacturing 4.0.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. –��The 51�Թ��� announced in a����to members of the U.S. House of Representatives today that it will key-vote against House passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019.

At its core, this proposed legislation would threaten and place limits on rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, �ɰ��dzٱ���51�Թ��� Senior Vice President of Policy and Government Relations Aric Newhouse. The Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that voluntary associations are key participants in public debate and has struck down attempts to curb participation in them. Certain provisions in this legislation would create new reputational risks for companies that wish to join associations and participate in the political process as part of the voice of an industry, rather than as an individual actor. These provisions would have a chilling effect on important and protected speech.��

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – The 51�Թ��� today released the results of the ��for the first quarter of 2019, which shows nine consecutive quarters of record optimism, with an average of 91.8 percent of manufacturers positive about their own company’s outlook over that time frame, compared to an average of 68.6 percent across 2015 and 2016. The survey’s release coincided with Vice President Mike Pence’s address to the 51�Թ���’s 2019 Spring Board of Directors Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Manufacturers’ concerns about our nation’s crumbling infrastructure continue to rise, with more than 77 percent saying the state of infrastructure is not up to standards and threatens their competitiveness. The 51�Թ��� continues to press Congress for a robust investment with the release last week of its infrastructure blueprint, “.”

The inability to attract and retain a quality workforce remained manufacturers’ top business concern (71.3 percent) in the first quarter. The workforce shortage has forced more than one in four manufacturers surveyed to turn down new business opportunities.

Manufacturing in the United States is on the rise, and manufacturers are confident about the future, said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons. Empowered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, manufacturers are investing in our communities and in our people. But to keep up this momentum, we have to get serious about infrastructure investment and attracting, recruiting and training our people for the high-tech, high-paying modern manufacturing jobs of today and tomorrow. As laid out in the 51�Թ���’s ‘Building to Win’ blueprint, a bold infrastructure plan will help secure American prosperity, job creation and our leadership in the world.

Conducted by 51�Թ��� Chief Economist Chad Moutray, the Manufacturers’ Outlook Survey has surveyed the association’s membership of 14,000 large and small manufacturers on a quarterly basis since 1997 to gain insight into their economic outlook, hiring and investment decisions and business concerns.

The 51�Թ��� releases these results to the public each quarter. Further information on the survey is available��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs more than 12 million men and women, contributes $2.25 trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for more than three-quarters of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit www.nam.org.

Scottsdale, AZ –��Tomorrow, Vice President Mike Pence will deliver remarks at the 51�Թ���’ 2019 Spring Board of Directors Meeting. The Vice President’s remarks will be streamed live at��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs��more than��12 million men and women, contributes $2.25��trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for��more than three-quarters��of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit��www.nam.org.

Chandler, AZ –��During a site visit to the South Mountain Freeway project in Chandler, Arizona, for the 51�Թ���’ State of Manufacturing Tour 2019, Fluor Corporation Chairman and CEO and 51�Թ��� Board Chair David Seaton and 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons released��—an ambitious initiative to revitalize our nation’s failing infrastructure. Originally released ahead of the 2016 elections, the updated proposal serves as a blueprint to repair our roads, bridges, rails, airports, ports and waterways and revolutionize the infrastructure that makes the American Dream possible. It represents manufacturers’ vision for the path forward—one that will enhance the competitiveness of manufacturers and improve the lives of manufacturing workers and all Americans.

Infrastructure investment means jobs. It means safer families, better commutes and faster shipments. Manufacturers want to see a game-changing investment in infrastructure because we know that America’s economic competitiveness depends on it, said Seaton. For too long, we’ve depended on the investments of the last generation. Now is the time to build for the future—to build for the next generation and to ensure America never again falls behind.

Every year, America is falling further behind on infrastructure. Today, infrastructure investment is only one-third of what it was in 1960, and without action on infrastructure, we will lose 5.8 million jobs by 2040. But with an injection of $1 trillion in American infrastructure over time, we will create 11 million jobs, said Timmons. There’s clearly bipartisan support to modernize and revitalize our infrastructure, so now we’re calling on Congress to act.

Key recommendations from “Building to Win” include the following:

• Implement strong accountability measures to ensure funds go to projects offering the greatest value for businesses, families and the economy.
• Relieve highway bottlenecks and repair America’s crumbling highways and bridges.
• Create a reliable, user-based, long-term funding stream so users can have the safe, efficient highways needed.
• Accelerate the implementation of NextGen air traffic management technology and upgrade our runways and airports to world-class standards.
• Take an expedited approach to deepen ports, upgrade aging locks and enhance intermodal connections by spending the balance in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
• Eliminate the maintenance backlog for public transit, commuter rail and passenger rail.
• Promote regulatory and fiscal policies that incentivize continued record levels of private capital reinvestment in our railroads.
• Create an independent, bipartisan transportation commission.
• Streamline regulations to reduce the cost of delayed infrastructure.
• Promote new energy infrastructure investments as a means of improving U.S. infrastructure’s resilience to climate change.
• Robustly expand public–private partnerships for drinking water and wastewater projects.
• Streamline regulatory processes across multiple agencies and levels of government to foster the use of next-generation communications infrastructure, such as cutting-edge broadband or 5G technologies.

�������������to read the full blueprint.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs��more than��12 million men and women, contributes $2.25��trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for��more than three-quarters��of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit��www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C.��– The 51�Թ��� traveled to California on Tuesday, February 26, and Wednesday, February 27, to highlight the state’s modern manufacturing industry as part of the fifth-annual 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour. During the visit, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons and Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee met with students, business leaders and local manufacturers to discuss the industry’s optimistic outlook for the future, the high-tech, high-paying opportunities in modern manufacturing and the urgent need to recruit the next generation of manufacturers. Fluor Corporation Chairman and CEO and 51�Թ��� Board Chair David Seaton joined Timmons and Lee for these events.

We’re at the next frontier of manufacturing in the United States. We’re leading in technological advances, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and augmented reality, that will actually spur job creation, will boost wages and will help us lift everyone up and leave no one behind, said Timmons.

We should not fear the future. Powered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, manufacturers in America are keeping our promise to invest in our people and our communities. Modern manufacturing is vital to the California economy, and we’re driving innovation in agriculture, bioscience, electronics, energy and more. We’re stronger than ever, and that means we need to hire more innovators and creators than ever. With 428,000 jobs open today and 4.6 million to fill over the next decade, manufacturers across America are saying ‘creators wanted.’

We should not fear the future. Powered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, manufacturers in America are keeping our promise to invest in our people and our communities. Modern manufacturing is vital to the California economy, and we’re driving innovation in agriculture, bioscience, electronics, energy and more. We’re stronger than ever, and that means we need to hire more innovators and creators than ever. With 428,000 jobs open today and 4.6 million to fill over the next decade, manufacturers across America are saying ‘creators wanted.’

Timmons and Lee then visited Bishop-Wisecarver, an automation solutions provider, to tour the facility. Following the tour, Timmons and Lee met with Bishop-Wisecarver President and 51�Թ��� Board Member Pamela Kan and local stakeholders to discuss workforce opportunities and how manufacturing companies can champion science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in the community to inspire the next generation of manufacturers.��Lee ended the day visiting Pittsburg High School in Pittsburg, California, where she met the school’s robotics team and discussed how STEM education is inspiring their future career aspirations.

On Wednesday, Timmons, Lee and Seaton started the day at Salesforce for a panel discussion with��Achyut Jajoo, vice president of manufacturing, automotive and energy industries at Salesforce, andLance Hastings, president of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association.��Business and community leaders and industry representatives heard from panel participants about how technology is transforming the manufacturing industry and the looming workforce crisis for California’s manufacturers.

MEDIA RSVP:��Members of the media interested in covering the tour or attending an event should contact��[email protected]. To learn more about the 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour 2019, click��here.

Washington, D.C.��– The 51�Թ���today traveled to Minnesota to highlight the state’s modern manufacturing industry as part of the fifth annual 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour. During the visit, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons and Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee met with students, business leaders and local manufacturers to discuss the industry’s optimistic outlook for the future, the high-tech, high paying opportunities in modern manufacturing and the urgent need to recruit the next generation of manufacturers.

We’re at the next frontier of manufacturing in the United States. We’re leading in technological advances, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and augmented reality, that will actually spur job creation, boost wages and help us lift everyone up and leave no one behind, said��Timmons.

We should not fear the future. Powered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, manufacturers in America are keeping our promise to invest in our people and our communities. Modern manufacturing is vital to the Minnesota economy, and we’re driving innovation in agriculture, bioscience, energy and more. We’re stronger than ever, and that means we need to hire more innovators and creators than ever. With 428,000 jobs open today and 4.6 million to fill over the next decade, manufacturers across America are saying ‘creators wanted.’

Timmons and Lee began the day at Protolabs, touring its state-of-the-art facilities in both Plymouth and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Students from Dunwoody College joined the tour and participated in a roundtable discussion about workforce opportunities with current employees, executives and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Protolabs President and CEO and 51�Թ��� Small and Medium Manufacturers Group Vice Chair Vicki Holt talked about the company’s partnerships with local colleges in the area and how Protolabs is prioritizing career development among their staff.

It’s our mission to provide an environment where our employees continue to learn and develop their manufacturing skills, said Holt. We know that investing in our current employees and the next generation of manufacturers is essential if we want to continue to compete in our field. Manufacturing offers incredible workforce opportunities for those who are willing to work hard, and we are constantly looking for those individuals.

Timmons, Lee and Mayor Frey then joined the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce for a roundtable discussion with the Chamber’s Manufacturers Coalition.

We are actively working to strengthen the state’s overall business climate. We believe the pathway toward economic prosperity is achieved by supporting private-sector innovators to fuel future growth and not make it more costly to do business in Minnesota, said Doug Loon, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. We are excited to have the 51�Թ��� here today to share ideas about how we can continue to foster an environment where manufacturing thrives.

Timmons spent the second half of the day in Medina, Minnesota, touring Polaris, a local manufacturer that has grown into an international powerhouse in powersports vehicle manufacturing. Timmons met with a group of Polaris employees to discuss continued innovation in manufacturing and how Polaris has expanded its capabilities over the past six decades.

Lee visited Metal Trade Solutions, a machining, fabrication and mechanical design business in Winsted, Minnesota. She met the young co-founders Tobias Flood and Mark Eiden, their former shop teachers and members from Southwest Initiative Foundation. They discussed what drove the entrepreneurs to open their own business and the impact the technical program at St. Cloud Technical and Community College had on their career path.

For the past five years, the annual 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour has focused the nation’s attention on the industry that is the backbone of America’s economy, highlighting the more than 12.8 million men and women who are building our future and solving tomorrow’s challenges today. The tour has traveled the country, bringing policy discussions and conversations about the future of work in the manufacturing industry to shop floors, schools, economic clubs, television studios, the White House and more. This year’s tour will spotlight the industry’s next frontier, while also focusing on manufacturing’s well-paying careers, the industry’s diverse workforce and the policy solutions that are essential for manufacturing’s continued growth.

Members of the media interested in covering the tour should contact��[email protected]. To learn more about the 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour 2019, click��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs��more than��12 million men and women, contributes $2.25��trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for��more than three-quarters��of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit��www.nam.org.

Washington, D.C. – The 51�Թ��� today traveled to North Carolina to highlight the state’s manufacturing industry and its promising future as part of the fifth-annual 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour. During the visit, 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons and Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Carolyn Lee met with students, business leaders and local manufacturers to discuss the industry’s optimistic outlook for the future, manufacturing’s high-tech, innovative nature and the urgent need to recruit the next generation of creators and innovators.

We’re at the next frontier of manufacturing in the United States. We’re leading in technological advances, such as artificial intelligence, robotics and augmented reality, that will actually spur job creation, will boost wages and will help us lift everyone up and leave no one behind, said 51�Թ��� President and CEO Jay Timmons.

We should not fear the future. Powered by tax reform and regulatory certainty, manufacturers in America are keeping our promise to invest in our people and our communities. Modern manufacturing is vital to the North Carolina economy, and we’re driving innovation in research, pharmaceuticals, automotive and more. We’re stronger than ever, and that means we need to hire more innovators and creators than ever. With 428,000 jobs open today and 4.6 million to fill over the next decade, manufacturers across America are saying ‘creators wanted.’

Timmons and Lee began the day at ABB in Raleigh, North Carolina, for a conversation with Alamance Community College students and ABB employees about the rewarding career opportunities in manufacturing. The 51�Թ��� and ABB shared their efforts to help recruit and inspire the next generation of workers for the skilled jobs that new technologies are creating.

North Carolina’s business community, especially the manufacturing industry, is booming, and employers are looking to hire skilled employees and create new jobs, said David Johnson, president of Johnston Community College. In 2005, our business and industry leaders saw a need to attract and build a strong workforce, and they acted by creating the Johnston County Workforce Development Center. Because of the center, we are meeting the needs of our employers and retaining strong talent in our own community. We are proud to showcase our facility and our students on the 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour 2019.

Following ABB, Timmons and Lee visited the Johnston Community College Workforce Development Center, which was formed by a unique partnership between Johnston Community College, the Johnston County Economic Development Office, the Johnston County government, Grifols and Novo Nordisk to help meet the significant talent needs of the bio-manufacturing industry. Timmons and Lee joined Johnston Community College President David Johnson for a tour of the Workforce Development Center and participated in a discussion with county leaders and students to determine the most impactful ways to attract new talent into the advanced manufacturing field.

Timmons and Lee also joined members of the NC Chamber for a productive conversation surrounding the business climate in North Carolina and across the country. To end the day, Timmons and Lee traveled to Protolabs to view its 3-D printing facility and to meet with employees.

Manufacturing is essential to the success of the North Carolina economy—and the entire U.S. economy, said Vicki Holt, president and CEO of Protolabs. And it’s not the industry it was 20 years ago, or even five years ago. It’s powered by new technology that is allowing us to do more, and it’s improving lives beyond our imagination. We need to inspire the next generation to continue this momentum.

For the past five years, the annual 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour has focused the nation’s attention on the industry that is the backbone of the American economy, highlighting the more than 12.8 million men and women who are building our future and solving tomorrow’s challenges today. The tour has traveled the country, bringing policy discussions and conversations about the future of work in the manufacturing industry to shop floors, schools, economic clubs, television studios, the White House and more. At a time when the future of work is top of mind for workers and thought leaders alike, this year’s tour will spotlight the industry’s next frontier, while also focusing on manufacturing’s well-paying careers, the industry’s diverse workforce and the real-world solutions for manufacturing’s continued growth.

Members of the media interested in covering the tour should contact��[email protected]. To learn more about the 51�Թ��� State of Manufacturing Tour 2019, click��.

-51�Թ���-

The 51�Թ��� (51�Թ���) is the largest manufacturing association in the United States, representing small and large manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states. Manufacturing employs��more than��12 million men and women, contributes $2.25��trillion to the U.S. economy annually, has the largest economic impact of any major sector and accounts for��more than three-quarters��of private-sector research and development. The 51�Թ��� 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 visit��www.nam.org.