A
May 2017 MiMfg
n Association is only as good as
its member base and the recent
MFG Forum held in late April
in Novi showcased just how
fortunate MMA is to have our Michigan
manufacturers, service providers and
industry supporters behind us.
When the Forum began just over a
decade ago (as the CEO Forum), it was
an ambitious event to bring together
manufacturing executives to discuss the
vital issues impacting our manufacturers.
Over the past 11 years, the Forum has
evolved not to just discuss the issues our
industry faces but to provide solutions,
resources and insights into how to
tackle the emerging issues.
In the age of technology, one click
of a mouse can have disastrous effects
on your company’s future, which is why
the focus of the 2017 MFG Forum was
the danger and protection against cyber
attack. As MMA members and the
leading targets for cyber criminals, you
need new resources to combat a threat
costing American manufacturers more
than $400 billion in intellectual
property each year and MMA delivered
with the 2017 MFG Forum.
Working with the National Center
for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS),
MMA collaborated to deliver a loaded
line-up of global manufacturers, small
businesses and cyber security experts to
ensure more than 170 attendees left
with valuable takeaways their companies
could immediately use.
Magazine 13
Security Across the
Supply Chain
Cyber “bad guys” can keep every
manufacturer up at night, even a global
powerhouse like General Motors. Lisa
Gage, director of information security
for GM and the MFG Forum’s morning
keynote, shared the importance of
security in an increasingly globalized
industry where the security weaknesses of
one business can affect every manufacturer
along the supply chain.
While the risk will never be zero, it
can be reduced by locating vulnerabilities,
communicating to improve processes,
investing in security tools and, most
importantly, never assuming that an
attack won’t or can’t happen to you.
“
I have to be honest, I never
thought I would be so intrigued
and engaged about cyber
security, but I have a bunch of
notes to share with my IT team.
Great job planning this!
— Jen Kehres
Amigo Mobility
”
Drive Away Hackers When
They Come Knocking
The U.S. Department of Homeland
Security identified manufacturers as the
General Motors’ Lisa Gage explains ho w
weaknesses in your cyber security can have
disastrous effects on the entire supply chain.
leading target of infrastructure cyber-attacks
while the FBI estimates more than $400
billion in intellectual property leaves the
U.S. each year due to cyber attacks. Experts
from both agencies joined NCMS and the
Michigan Manufacturing Technology
Center (MMTC) on stage to outline the
precautions manufacturers must take to
protect their business, communities
and consumers.
Attendees learned what the federal
government is doing to protect manu-
facturers from ransomware attacks and
received resources every business should use.
Reducing Risk with
Real-World Experience
Federal cyber security experts opened the eyes
of Forum guests to the real threat of cyber crime.
Innovation, technology and security are
hallmarks of a successful manufacturing
business, but no business can protect
itself 100 percent of the time. Experts
from ASK, a leading cyber security
solutions firm, and three local
manufacturers — Orbitform, Fibre
Converters and Melling Tool — shared
their real-world stories to inform and
challenge fellow manufacturers.
Forum guests learned why panicking
is the last thing you should do when
your business gets attacked, how you
can sell your management team on
the importance of cyber security