The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center-Upper Peninsula center, which has been affiliated with Northern Initiatives for more than 30 years, will merge with the Traverse City MMTC Regional office this summer.
“What we’ve been doing the past two years is making things stronger for the U.P.” – Kristin Smith, Director
MMTC will continue to have a robust presence in the Upper Peninsula, helmed by Director Kristin Smith, with additional leaders and resources from the Lower Peninsula.
“What we’ve been doing the past two years is making things stronger for the U.P.,” said Smith. “We’ve strengthened the collaboration with MMTC offices throughout the state to get the needed resources and training. We’re continually planning quality training that is especially relevant to the rural and small- to medium-size manufacturers in the U.P.”
“The Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center regional offices in the Upper Peninsula and the Northern Lower Peninsula have a strong history of collaboration,” said Rich Wolin, Regional Vice President and Director of Northern Lower Operations. “Rural manufacturers in both regions share similar challenges of talent and distance, yet we find some of the most amazing products made from 100-year-old traditions to world-class innovations, from food processing to medical devices and aerospace.”
Smith helped create the Continuous Solutions Group, a consortium of manufacturing leaders who share ideas, techniques and opportunities, and work together on projects to help community organizations and nonprofits. One of the community projects, a standard work for volunteers at a tree sale, will be shared with conservation districts throughout the state.
MMTC will continue to offer trainings, including:
- Lean Manufacturing Practitioner
- Lean Manufacturing Champion
- Lean Office Practitioner
- On the Job trainer training
- Project Management
- 5S
- Standard Work
- Problem solving
- Get More Done
- Talent Assessments
- Lean Assessments
MMTC has worked with more than 150 U.P. companies in 10 counties in just the last seven years, as well helping organize annual Manufacturing Day events for close to 3,000 high school freshmen throughout the U.P.
“We have formed many useful partnerships with U.P. manufacturers through the years and continue to reap the benefits of those partnerships,” said Elissa Sangalli, President of Northern Initiatives. “Finding ways to create quality jobs that help our communities thrive is at the heart of our mission, and MMTC has been vital in doing that. We are more invigorated than ever to support U.P. manufacturers – and manufacturers throughout Michigan – through our lending.”
Northern Initiatives will continue to be a prime partner with MMTC in the U.P. and statewide. For more information, contact Kristin Smith, Director, MMTC-UP at Ksmith@the-center.org or (715) 889-0182.
