May 2018
MiMfg Magazine
M
ichigan is the world’s manufacturing leader
but all it takes is one small change to shift the
balance and allow another state to push past the Great
Lakes State. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is
here and, as any history buff can attest to, revolutions
are rarely small — they bring monumental shifts to
the status quo and force entirely new direction. The
2018 MFG Forum sought to address the emerging
issue of Industry 4.0; the disturbances it will cause,
the new technologies popping up and resources to help
solidify a winning strategy for manufacturers of all sizes.
Along with the National Center for Manufacturing
Sciences (NCMS) and more than a dozen nationally
recognized technology and cyber security experts, MMA
gave industry leaders a glimpse into manufacturing’s
not-so-distant future and the results were eye-opening.
“MMA does a great job of creating a relevant
agenda for each MFG Forum,” said Phil Sponsler,
the 2017 John G. Thodis Michigan Manufacturer of
the Year Award recipient and president of the Jackson-
based Orbitform LLC. “On top of that, the high level
of networking has proven to be an added perk for me.
I came in expecting for industry leaders to explain
their perceptions and visions of Industry 4.0 in a way
that would boost my business and I wasn’t disappointed.”
The $450 Billion Disruption
You Can’t Afford to Ignore
“The electrification of manufacturing is the
biggest disruption in the history of the industry.”
From the moment strategic automotive consultant
Paul Eichenberg said those words, manufacturers
Morning keynote Paul Eichenberg discussed “the
greatest disruption the industry will ever see.”
Attendees were able to connect with MFG Forum speakers and
their manufacturing colleagues experts throughout the Forum.
knew Industry 4.0 wasn’t going to be just some small
change — the shift from mechanical to electrical
components will redefine Michigan manufacturing
and the automotive industry which started it all.
With as much as 80 percent of a car’s current
components tied to the internal combustion engine,
a phase-out of this technology in favor of electrical
components won’t just alter the Big Three automakers’
future, it will impact every business along the supply
chain and potentially alter what it means to be
a manufacturer.
“The electrification disruption is a very relevant
topic for us — a significant amount of our business
is related to automotive parts,” said Bernhard
Kerschbaum, CEO for Battle Creek-based Rosler
Metal Finishing USA. “I will have to keep the
market developments Paul discussed in mind and ask
myself what can we do as a company to adjust to the
changing landscape and what opportunities will open
up for us from these changes.”
Whether your business was worried about the next
six months or looking decades down the line, Paul’s
expert insights gave attendees a clear awareness of where
the industry was heading and the strategic thinking
every business owner must begin implementing.
“During the presentation, I was compelled to
consider how quickly this industry shift is happening
and how my business can be better positioned to
support the inevitable move away from combustion
engines,” said Ron Geisman, president of Horton-
based Lomar Machine & Tool Company.
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