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MFG Day Posts Another Strong Turnout for 2019, Led by Rust Belt

Today, Oct. 4 is the eighth-annual MFD DAY, celebrating and promoting modern manufacturing to future generations. See the strong numbers behind this year's event count in North America.

Mfg Day Edit
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Today, Oct. 4, is Manufacturing Day — a grassroots celebration and promotion of modern manufacturing aimed to inspire the industry's next generation. Created by Founding Partner Fabricators and Manufacturers Association, International in 2012, MFG DAY is now produced by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and held annually on the first Friday in October.

Now in its eighth year, the numbers show MFG DAY is still going strong as a popular event across North America. Its “Find an Event” website states that there are 2,835 MFG DAY events planned this year as of mid-day Wednesday — some already having occurred in the days leading up to today, and some still to happen after.

Mfg DayThat figure is up slightly from 2018’s end total of 2,790 events and was the fifth-straight year with at least 2,600. MFG DAY’s best year so far was 2017 with 2,900 events.

All manufacturers were welcome to host a MFG DAY event, with only two parameters:

The event must include a tour of a manufacturing facility, office, innovation center or other site; other creating student-invite type of event at a manufacturing or manufacturing-supporting site; school event about manufacturing; manufacturing-related jobs fair; manufacturing-related career day event; or manufacturing product expo or similar event.

The event must be open to students, parents and/or educators.

The result — as it has been for the past five years — is thousands of manufacturers opening their facility doors to students in an effort to connect with future generations about what manufacturing is and isn’t, address the skilled labor shortage they face and take charge of manufacturing’s public image.

Of 2018’s total of 2,835 planned MFG DAY events, 2,796 are in the U.S., 22 are in Mexico and 15 are in Canada. Here’s the breakdown for which U.S. states are hosting the most events in 2019, which is largely led by the Rust Belt from Pennsylvania to Wisconsin:

  • California – 277
  • Illinois – 229
  • Ohio – 216
  • Indiana – 202
  • Michigan – 199
  • Pennsylvania – 152
  • North Carolina – 116
  • New York – 87
  • Missouri – 85
  • Florida – 81
  • Wisconsin – 76
  • Iowa – 75
  • Tennessee – 68
  • Oregon – 67
  • Texas – 66
  • Virginia – 65

Interested in hosting a MFG DAY event in 2020? Visit the organization's website for that here to register for official resources for planning and promoting your event.

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