The Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistics Institute (SCL) in collaboration with the U. S. Department of Commerce and the Georgia Department of Natural Recourses is sponsoring “SMART Companies Work Together,” a no-cost event for manufacturers seeking to improve the efficiency of their supply chain while lowering their environmental impact.

 The event, scheduled for February 22, 2010, is the sixth in the Department of Commerce’s series of Sustainable Manufacturing American Regional Tours (SMARTs). Those attending will have an opportunity to network with other local businesses and together:

• gain a basic understanding of conducting a company self-assessment in order to eliminate waste from their business operations by lowering energy, materials and other costs
• learn the importance of looking throughout their supply chain to cut costs by removing waste and uncertainty
• learn how to partner with service providers to make better supply chain strategy decisions

 The one-day event, to be held at the Georgia Department of Natural Resources from 8 a.m. until 5:30  p.m. is divided into morning and afternoon sessions.

 During the morning session, attendees will hear firsthand accounts from companies that have enhanced their competitiveness through improvements to environmental performance, service providers that work with manufacturers throughout the supply chain to improve efficiency and sustainability, and federal and state resource providers that can help companies get started.

 The afternoon session will consist of site visits to two local manufacturing facilities that are leaders in sustainability, including one to Interface, the worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet and a recognized leader in the area of industrial ecology. Attendees will be able to see how these companies have incorporated sustainable principles into their manufacturing processes and in their relationships with their supply chains.

 Robert Martichenko, PhD, SCL senior lecturer of SCL’s newly initiated lean supply chain professional certificate series (www.scl.gatech.edu/lean) will present the keynote address. 

 Chip White, PhD, School Chair of the H. Milton School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, will moderate one of the panel discussions, titled “External Factors to increase Efficiency in Your Supply Chain.” 

 Those interested in attending this free event can register for either the morning session (click here ) or the full day (click here).

For more information abouat the event contact:

Morgan Barr

(202) 482-3704

www.manufacturing.gov/sustainability