January / February - Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association

PRESIDENT’S | LETTERLooking Aheadby Dave Fiedler Supporting Minnesota in becomingthe world leader in precision contractmanufacturing and related technologies.Last fall I was asked to speak atthe 2008 Minnesota DevelopmentConference, held at the NorthlandInn in Brooklyn Park. It was a dualrole, representing both the MinnesotaPrecision Manufacturing Association(MPMA) and our collaborative effort withthe Twin West Chamber of Commerceas well as the precision manufacturingcommunity itself.The Twin West Chamber hasreceived a grant from the Department ofEmployment and Economic Development(DEED) to address workforce trainingneeds and increase the pipeline ofworkers for the precision manufacturingindustry. Judy Johnson, director ofcommunity relations for the Twin WestChamber, introduced me. She receiveda lot of cheers because she finally hadgotten someone from the manufacturingindustry to appear. What a sad testimony.Our historically limited participationin such events reflects poorly onmanufacturing.I know there are other MPMAmembers who do get involved in theworkforce development efforts, and tothem we all owe a big “thank you.” Withover 300 members, we need a lot morepeople to get active. The multitudeof educational groups out there needsto know what we want in a trainedworkforce.How important is it to you to havea growing and profitable company in10 years? Do you want to have anattractive business to sell in a few years?Do you have plans for the company tobe passed down to family members?None of these things can happenwithout an educated workforce. Haveyou surveyed your workforce to seewhat percentage is likely to retire inthe next 5 to 10 years? How manypeople do you have in the 20- to30-year-old range? Can you fill theneed with a combination of technologyand youth?It is up to all of us inthe industry to dowhatever we can doto help ourselves.Like a lot of you, I attended the IMTSshow. There was a lot of wonderfulequipment on display. If you havea product line or run large lots, theautomation display surely should be abig help. For us small lot, low productionshops, the need for quality machinists,programmers and inspection personnelwill grow.Where am I going with all of this?This upcoming year, MPMA will targetapproximately 2,700 middle schooland high school counselors. We hopeto have six mailings telling them ofthe opportunities in manufacturingand how we can help. When we do getfeedback from them, we will be askingyou to get together with schools inyour area and give them help in areasthey have identified. One of the thingsmentioned by educators at the MinnesotaDevelopment Conference was the timeconstraints involved in bringing studentsto visit your operation. When you meetwith these folks, can you put together aPowerPoint presentation along with someMPMA literature and deliver it to them?In short, it is not up to supportagencies solely to provide the educatedworkforce needed for tomorrow; it is upto all of us in the industry to do whateverwe can do to help ourselves. Truly, thefuture of your business requires it. PMDAVE FIEDLER ispresident of CheckerMachine, Inc. in New Hope,MN. He can be reached atdfiedler@checkermachine.com.EDITOR | PUBLICATIONS MANAGERAmy SlettumSALES MANAGERTim CrolleyLAYOUT & DESIGNApril Christian & Sev SkougMINNESOTA PRECISIONMANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION5353 Wayzata Blvd., Suite 207Minneapolis, MN 55416(952) 564-3041www.mpma.comMPMA OFFICERSPresidentDave Fiedler, Checker Machine, Inc.Vice PresidentMike Gramse, MRG Tool & Die Corp.TreasurerBob Miller, Kendeco Tool CribSecretaryPaul Huot, Huot ManufacturingEXECUTIVE DIRECTORJaime Nolan, CAEASSOCIATE DIRECTORLuann BartleyEDITORIAL COMMITTEEChair, Editor-in-ChiefBrenda Kyleblk@sppa.comElizabeth Abrahamelizabeth@toptool.comMike Neeleymikeneeley@comcast.netDenny Nybodennynybo@comcast.netBill Remesremesbill@aol.comTed Robertstroberts@robertsautomatic.comFred Zimmermanzimco@visi.comFor editorial, advertising ormembership information:Voice: (952) 564-3041Fax: (952) 252-8096Precision Manufacturing (ISSN 0273-7523),is published six times per year by IntrinXecManagement Inc., 5353 Wayzata Blvd.,Suite 207, Minneapolis, MN 55416. PrecisionManufacturing is the only authorized regularpublication of the Minnesota PrecisionManufacturing Association (MPMA). Opinionsand conclusions expressed in the magazineare those of the individual writer and donot necessarily reflect the official positionof the MPMA or its officers. Advertisingrates provided on request. Correspondenceregarding the magazine, including industrynews releases, photographs and press releasesrelating to precision manufacturing should besent to Precision Manufacturing, Amy Slettum,c/o IntrinXec Management, Inc., 5353 WayzataBlvd., Suite 207, Minneapolis, MN 55416.Electronic correspondence, including attachedfiles in Word or plain text formats, may be sentto amy@mpma.com. Unsolicited materials willnot be returned. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to: Precision Manufacturing, c/oIntrinXec Management, Inc., 5353 WayzataBlvd., Suite 207, Minneapolis, MN 55416.Copyright ©2009 Minnesota PrecisionManufacturing Association.4 | PRECISION MANUFACTURING January | February 2009