By Brenda Sherwood, City of Meridian Economic Development Administrator
I just had the opportunity to experience some of the most competitive technology at The 2010 International Manufacturing and Technology Show, the country’s largest manufacturing show of its kind. Included were 1,728 companies from 30 countries that filled 1,180 booths showcasing 1,137,375 square feet of the latest advances in manufacturing technology. In attendance were 82,411 representatives from more than 100 countries to scout for their companies next competitive edge in Manufacturing.
Manufacturing is an industry that has taken a serious hit in the US, but the excitement was in the air at the show, and the sentiment that good things were on the horizon and the hopes that the tide was going to change for the industry. There was no doubt about it if you attended this show - Manufacturing today is the catalyst of advanced technologies and is truly the driving force of future innovation. For this reason, I have always felt very strongly that keeping manufacturing in the US is of vital importance to our economy.
One of the many attributes to the manufacturing industry is its workforce. Manufacturers are highly skilled, have exceptional worker productivity and an above average work ethic. In addition, there was a tremendous sense of pride among the attendees when it came to the ‘Made in America’ brand.
As favorable circumstances would have it, I had the chance to join the booth of Meridian’s very own, Dale Newberry, President of Micro 100 Tool Corporation and his incredible team! Even more notable – what incredible products!!! Manufacturers from all over the world stopped to boast about the quality of Micro 100’s products - made right here in Meridian. Their slogan, ‘Quality in Focus,’ is a mere understatement of the reality! Industry experts lined up to see Micro 100's latest ‘Micro-Quick,’ a new tooling technology that reduces machine setup time and increases productivity. They're new product line was quite an attraction at the show. I was most impressed with the overwhelming number of people that just stopped to say, ‘Hey, thanks for making a great product!' Micro 100 Tool Corporation places extremely high standards on their products. It was a great show with a lot of energy and I was proud to be a part of Micro 100 Tool Corporation’s booth. I’d like to thank Dale, Scott, Randy, Kerry, Scott H., Charlie, Rob and Craig for an incredible experience.
As I stood there with a Meridian company that is so important to the world’s economy, I had to think about the focus of our economic development efforts. Although I was there to market Meridian to companies outside of Idaho, the Mayor and I hold dear to our hearts our Business Retention & Expansion Program. It’s the companies that are already here in Meridian – companies just like Dale Newberry’s - that have made Meridian the vibrant business community that it is today. Thank you for making Meridian a great place to live, work and play.