CONNECT WITH CONNEX™

Pre-Event Breakfast Educational Session with the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center

Resilience is key for manufacturers as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and face continued disruptions to the global supply chain. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions but many are looking to identify risks within their supply chain and find validated alternative sources. Join MMA and the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center (The Center) for a pre-event educational breakfast session to learn about CONNEX™ Michigan, a supply chain and manufacturing network dataset tool that puts Michigan manufacturers in the driver’s seat to access the state and national manufacturing supply chain in one integrated resource.

Chemicals for Daily Life: Overcoming the Supply Chain Challenge

Keynote Address: Jeff Daniel, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, PVS Chemicals, Inc.

When you’re manufacturing and distributing chemicals on a global scale, supply chain disruptions place an even greater strain on safety and sustainability and test a company’s commitments to customers.  Jeff Daniel has spent his career driving business process excellence and employee engagement. Hear how Mr. Daniel and the Detroit-based PVS team have been working to overcome supply chain challenges to safely and reliably deliver chemicals for daily life.

Rethinking Manufacturing Supply Chains 

Session: Brett Smith, Director, Technology, Center for Automotive Research 

Facing and solving problems within supply chain relationships is nothing new for Michigan manufacturers. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, created a number of challenges without any historic precedent. But history has shown that each time the industry endures a challenge, it provides an opportunity for improvement and evidence of resiliency. Brett Smith will share insights from the Center for Automotive Research about how manufacturers are evaluating, investing in and transforming their supply chains for success now and long into the future.  

The Michigan-Ontario Corridor: A Supply Chain and Trade Advantage

Session: Earl Provost, Ontario Agent-General

Two-way trade between Ontario and Michigan is worth more than $45 billion annually and the province contains two of the most consequential land border crossings between our nations, making Ontario a critical partner in a strong manufacturing supply chain and the economic security of the entire Great Lakes Region. Earl Provost was appointed by the Premier of Ontario to put a laser focus on growing economic partnerships across the region and will speak about challenges and opportunities that are on the horizon.

Community-Engaged Supply Chains

Session: Sriram Narayanan, Kesseler Family Endowed Faculty Fellow of Supply Chain Management, Michigan State University

Community engagement has become a frontier of competitiveness for numerous business objectives. Now, in the face of historic supply chain disruptions, manufacturers are reevaluating internal capabilities and recognizing that community-engaged supply chains and hyper-agility are key solutions to product and process innovations. Get a look at the future of supply chain management with Sriram Narayanan, Ph.D. as the industry continues to adjust to mismatched supply and demand. 

Small and Mid-Sized Manufacturer Panel 

Facilitator: Mike Powell, Principal – Director of Tax Consulting and Manufacturing Services, Rehmann  

Jordan Thieme, Director of Operations, Amigo Mobility International

Anita Quillen, President & CEO, Diversified Engineering & Plastics 

Kevin Bagby, CFO, Tribar Technologies 

No industry or any company has been left untouched by the supply chain crisis. Though much attention has been paid to the large-scale impact of supply chain disruption on large manufacturers, small and mid-sized companies have also been forced to innovate to maintain business continuity and their relationships with customers. Don’t miss this dynamic discussion of innovative industry leaders sharing tactics for adapting to and overcoming challenges.