MFGCON 2022

We are almost a month away from MFGCON 22! Join the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) and Business NC for MFGCON on March 24-25, 2022 in Durham at the Durham Convention Center for two days of influential networking and knowledge-sharing. With five break-out sessions and 20 different seminars, you’ll be able to find advice and guidance that is unique to your manufacturing operation. Register for MFGCON 22 »

2021 NCMEP Leadership in Manufacturing Awards

Are you or do you know a manufacturer who demonstrates excellence? The deadline to submit a 2021 NCMEP Leadership In Manufacturing Awards nomination is Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Manufacturers are invited to self-nominate. The winners will be announced at MFGCON in March.

New Resources Shared by the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Corner

NIST seeks to provide consistent, clear, concise, and actionable resources to small businesses. All resources are free and draw from expert advice on cybersecurity implementation. Newly added resources include guides on the threats of phishing and ransomware. This Cybersecurity Corner is a great starting place for small businesses wanting to learn cybersecurity basics, get started with cybersecurity planning, and learn more about the most prominent threats today. Learn More » 

RuralWorks! Internship Program

NC State IES is championing the placement of NC State student engineers with manufacturers. Last summer, we placed engineering students in the manufacturing industry in 40 rural counties like Contempra Fabrics in Robeson County with Shannon Gill and Schindler Elevator in Sampson County with Kaleb Jessup. Some students became valuable assets to their RuralWorks employers and continued working for the organization throughout the school year and even full-time employment after graduation.  

NC State College of Engineering can fund up to 50% of student engineers’ compensation with projects ranging from process improvement, supply chain, quality, data systems analysis, new product development and more.  To participate, Contact your local regional manager for more information on how to get started »

Modern Textile Case Studies – Innovation and Technology in NC

NC State IES, the Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) and other partners are participating in a project funded by NextFlex, a DoD-funded Manufacturing USA Innovation Institute to develop and implement a sustainable and replicable model to create the next-generation workforce needed to propel the North Carolina textile economy forward. Read More »

Introduction to Federal Contracting Webinar

Are you looking to do business with the federal government? The North Carolina Military Business Center has announced its Introduction to Federal Contracting webinar on February 9 from 9-11 a.m. Topics include: levels of federal purchasing; how the federal government buys products, construction and engineering and non-personal services; marketing a business to the federal government; socio-economic small business programs; registering as a federal contractor; locating, identifying and responding to federal business opportunities; and resources available to assist federal contractors in North Carolina. Register Today »

The Secret to Improving Your Leadership… Really Webinar

Join the MEP National Network on February 22 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time for their “The Secret to Improving Your Leadership…Really” webinar. Learn about a process that can help any organization improve their leaders – and not just a little improvement, but the “who are you and what have you done with my old leader” type of improvement that we’re all after in our development efforts.  Keith Gammill from the Arkansas Manufacturing Extension Partnership will be hosting. Register Today »

NCMEP Spotlight: Adrianne Kroll

Assistant Director of Quality, Adrianne Kroll is an integral part of the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership and NC State Industry Expansion Solutions team. Adrianne began her career in the defense industry supporting Navy nuclear aircraft carrier and submarine design and construction as a systems engineer. She also supported the US Military as an analyst for the United States Joint Forces Command. She has led various cross-functional teams, with employees on all levels including upper management, in documenting processes, identifying waste, and brainstorming improvements in the areas of customer support, information technology, engineering, and supply chain management. Read more about Adrianne »

NCMEP Partner Profile: Hangar6

Prototyping is an iterative process that takes time. As well, one wrong calculation can cause the product that you’re manufacturing to fail. Hangar6’s sole purpose is – in their words – to “help you get your idea off the napkin and into the marketplace” and being a partner in the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership helps them achieve this purpose. Read More »