{"243911":{"#nid":"243911","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Dr. Ben Wang addresses more than 200 at Next Generation Manufacturing event","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EMore than 200 manufacturing executives and Georgia Tech participants convened for the annual Next Generation Manufacturing event on Sept. 17. Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute Executive Director Dr. Ben Wang welcomed guests and set the tone for the meeting. According to Dr. Wang, manufacturing is the cornerstone of U.S. economic stability, representing 70 percent of U.S. exports and 90 percent of U.S. patents.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cExports are one of the few ways to increase wealth and quality of life for citizens,\u201d said Dr. Wang. \u201cAnd we must produce to export.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHe also stressed the importance of new technologies such as 3D printing. This technology has applications in a wide variety of industries, such as aerospace, automotive, bio-medical, repair and maintenance. \u201cIt can reduce lead times from 28 months for spare parts to less than two months,\u201d he explained.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore importantly, however, it is critical for the United States to face two grand challenges in order to improve global competitiveness. First, it currently takes approximately 20 years to move a new technology from the research lab to the marketplace. Second, new products and new technologies need to stay here and be manufactured here in the United States rather than shift the production to low-cost countries.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cWe must speed innovation to market and we must build here,\u201d said Dr. Wang. \u201cTo do this, we must work together.\u201d\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMore details from the event were reported by Georgia Public Broadcasting:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ETax Credits Elude Companies\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBy Claire Simms, GPB\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ERichard Kopelman, Chairman of the Next Generation Manufacturing Conference, believes there are two main challenges for Georgia\u2019s manufacturing companies: finding qualified workers and using government incentives effectively.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cEighty-two percent of manufacturers aren\u2019t taking advantage of the tax credits and incentives available to them,\u201d explained Kopelman, who is also a CPA and managing partner at accounting firm Habif, Arogti and Wynne. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E That figure was based on the 2012 Georgia Manufacturing Survey conducted by Kopelman\u2019s firm, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cEven here in Georgia with great tax incentives and people out there touting it, companies either have their head in the sand or just don\u2019t think or are being told that they\u2019re not able to take advantage of these things,\u201d said Kopelman. \u201cThey\u2019re passing on them.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E Kopelman said the conference, which was held Tuesday at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, is designed to help manufacturers share knowledge about industry innovations, opportunities and best practices. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cI think everybody probably walks away with something different,\u201d Kopelman added. \u201cThey\u2019re meeting other manufacturers outside of their own vertical space they usually spend their time in.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E The other major challenge Kopelman highlighted is the disconnect between those who need jobs in Georgia and the skills needed to do those jobs.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cThere [are] 4 million unfilled technical jobs in America today because there\u2019s a mismatch of skill sets,\u201d said Kopelman.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E One way the state has been working to alleviate that problem is through the Georgia Quick Start program. The resource is free for companies and helps create training programs to get Georgia workers up to speed. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cThey\u2019ve been fantastic to work with,\u201d said Todd Henry, Operations Manager for Caterpillar\u2019s new plant in Athens. \u201cWorking in conjunction with Athens Technical College, they\u2019ve been able to build a custom training facility for us, which really is world class and they\u2019ve been able to develop the curriculum we need to train the employees to really come into Caterpillar, go through the training and then from day one when they enter the plant, they\u2019re ready to go.\u201d \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E Caterpillar is set to begin production at its new plant in October. The company currently employs 275 people at the Athens facility, but plans to increase that to 325 workers by the end of the year.\u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u201cRight now we\u2019re hiring for really all positions. We\u2019re looking for shop floor leadership positions. We\u2019re looking for assemblers and we\u2019re looking for welders,\u201d Henry said. \u003Cbr \/\u003E \u003Cbr \/\u003E The company has said in the past it plans to hire a total of 1400 employees once it is fully operational. Henry said Caterpillar will expand to 900 workers by the end of 2015. The next 500 positions will depend on industry performance, Henry added.\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E Kopelman emphasized that tax breaks can help manufacturing companies expand. The passage of Georgia\u2019s manufacturing energy tax credit has helped the industry, but Kopelman said some localities have added taxes which counteract that.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u0027s Dr. Ben Wang kicked of the Next Generation Manufacturing event with a discussion on why manufacturing is important to the U.S. economy.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute\u0027s Dr. Ben Wang kicked of the Next Generation Manufacturing event with a discussion on why manufacturing is important to the U.S. economy."}],"uid":"27857","created_gmt":"2013-10-09 16:41:19","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:15:05","author":"Tracy Heath","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2013-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2013-10-09T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"groups":[{"id":"155831","name":"Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute (GTMI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"13523","name":"Ben Wang"},{"id":"215","name":"manufacturing"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ETracy Heath\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E404-894-5562\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["Tracy.heath@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}