Does U.S. manufacturing have a future? Steve Taylor, director of business outreach for Mississippi State University’s College of Business, thinks so. But he insists it must be “small, smart and agile” to survive.
Taylor is also a management professor and director of the Technology Resource Institute at Mississippi State. He is among speakers who will address 21st century manufacturing issues at an annual Manufacturing Summit sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance June 5 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.
Joining Taylor on the one-day agenda are Jerry Epperson of Mann, Armistead and Epperson; Art Raymond, A.G. Raymond & Company; Veronica Londono, vice president of operations at American Leather; Eric Lail, director of lean solutions for Total Insight of Hickory, N.C.; and a panel of retailers, including Keith Koenig, president and owner of City Furniture, one of Florida’s fastest growing companies, and Marc Schewel, president of the 50-store Schewel Furniture company, which celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2007.
Epperson’s furniture industry research results in a number of large studies published by his firm each year. In addition to economic forecasts, he produces studies on distribution issues, import details, retail trends and category-specific trends. His “Big Picture” presentation at the Manufacturing Summit will set the stage for attendees to explore key issues impacting the future of domestic furniture manufacturing.
Raymond will challenge executives to imagine “The Furniture Factory of the Future.” As a manufacturing consultant to the furniture, cabinet and millwork industries, Raymond has helped domestic companies solve management and technical problems in their manufacturing processes in order to remain competitive.
Londono, who oversees all operations at Dallas-based American Leather, will address the real-world challenges of domestic manufacturing. Her company’s business model assures customers a quality product in less than four weeks – making the quest for excellence a daily concern.
Total Insight helps customers build sustainable workplace communities using Lean Enterprise methods. Lail’s presentation, “Tough Times Require Value Stream Solutions,” will offer attendees concrete examples of companies that have improved productivity, reduced lead times, increased inventory turns, reduced accidents and reduced quality complaints.
Adding yet another perspective to the Summit will be Koenig and Schewel, who have been invited to share how they make their buying decisions when choosing between products produced domestically and those made overseas.
The Summit will be preceded by the Suppliers Division Annual Golf Tournament at Grandover, beginning at noon on Thursday, June 4. A cocktail reception and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. that evening will conclude the golf tournament and also serve as the opening event for the Manufacturing Summit.
Registration for the Summit is $500 per person ($99 for AHFA member company executives), which includes the June 4 reception, as well as breakfast and lunch on June 5. An online registration form is available at www.ahfa.us, under EVENTS. Hotel reservations should be made directly with the Grandover by calling 800/472-6301 (336/294-1800) or by going to www.grandover.com.
The American Home Furnishings Alliance – located in High Point, N.C., and Washington, D.C. – is the largest association of home furnishings companies in the world and represents more than 240 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, as well as nearly 200 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide.