SOUTH-TEC Readies Southeast Manufacturers for Continued Growth

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The success of the Southeast region in attracting manufacturers across growth industries through a business-friendly environment, strong infrastructure and skilled labor force is well-documented. But as competition from companies and regions around the world gets fierce, what steps can manufacturers in the Southeast region take to sustain their growth and success?

The upcoming SOUTH-TEC manufacturing event will address trends and issues important to forward-thinking companies in this region as they work to improve their production processes, technologies and capabilities. SOUTH-TEC, hosting more than 400 industry-leading exhibitors, will take place October 27-29, at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the Southeast region has seen significant year-over-year growth, becoming a strong manufacturing hub thanks to its highly-skilled workforce, moderate cost of living, plentiful land and pro-business laws. The area's transportation infrastructure of modern ports, railroads, airports, waterways, interstates and highways make it ideal for manufacturers, linking them to more than 170 million U.S. and Canadian consumers, as well as global markets.

With infrastructure in place, manufacturing companies in the region are looking for ways to maintain a competitive advantage through utilization of new technology and processes. At SOUTH-TEC, manufacturers and suppliers will discover and acquire the tools and techniques necessary to drive growth, profitability and productivity improvements necessary for competing in the global economy.

"As the premier manufacturing industry showcase in the Southeast for innovation, knowledge and relationships, SOUTH-TEC addresses important and timely issues on the minds of leaders across industries," said Cathy Kowalewicz, SOUTH-TEC event manager at SME. "The event will be lively and exciting, bringing together undreds of the region's top companies in aerospace, automotive, commercial vehicles, energy and beyond to immerse themselves in all the newest and future happenings in manufacturing."

Addressing Current and Future Needs in Manufacturing
SOUTH-TEC has assembled a dynamic agenda of activities and opportunities focused on helping companies and individuals improve their manufacturing capabilities. Highlights of the event include:

• Educational sessions and workshops: Comprehensive workshops will explore how Design to Cost and Design for Manufacturability (DFM) can improve profit margins, quality, cost and speed to market. These sessions are included as part of the event registration and will provide action steps for each phase of development: concept design, assembly design, part design, supply chain design and process design.
• Presentations: Keynote addresses by Wells Fargo, FANUC, Mastercam and Stratasys will center on factors driving the reshoring trend; making robotic automation more accessible; leveraging the Internet of Things to achieve greater productivity; advances in robotic vision; breakthroughs in manufacturing education; additive manufacturing and 3D printing applications and their impact on education; and the global economic developments and how they impact the nation and the Southeast in particular.
• Product launches and exhibits: Industry-leading exhibitors plan to unveil more than 100 exciting new products during the two-day show.
• Bright Minds Program: Attendees can have some fun in the Bright Minds Manufacturing Playground on the event floor, where they will learn and observe how additive and subtractive technologies can be used collaboratively to create innovative products. The Bright Minds program reinforces the value of manufacturing education, providing hands-on learning experiences for students with support from educators and industry representatives. At SOUTH-TEC, three presentations on Thursday, Oct. 29, will focus on workforce development: Cultivating Growth in Manufacturing; Additive Manufacturing – Building Careers of the Future; and Manufacturing – Build Your Future.

"Education drives growth. It's that simple," said Brian Summers, vice president of CNC Software and keynote speaker during Bright Minds at SOUTH-TEC. "We need to raise awareness about the manufacturing industry, tools and opportunities, that's why we put so much effort into educating the next generation."

SOUTH-TEC will host more than 400 exhibitors that will showcase new technology and launch new products. With numerous keynote presentations and panel discussions from companies such as FANUC, Georgia Power, Mastercam, Stratasys, among others, attendees will hear from industry leaders about the latest trends, industry expectations and the future outlook.

To register to attend and find more information about SOUTH-TEC 2015, please visit http://www.southteconline.com/.

About SOUTH-TEC
SOUTH-TEC is a Southeast manufacturing trade event, held every other year, that provides regional manufacturers and suppliers the means to discover and acquire the tools and processes necessary to drive the next evolution of their industry. SOUTH-TEC is designed to advance manufacturing knowledge by keeping industry executives up to date on leading technologies and trends, while highlighting the strength of manufacturing throughout the region.

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SOURCE SME

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