On October 2nd there was a tremendous turnout of students, educators and manufacturers touring plants, colleges and other organizations to get a taste of what manufacturing is all about.

TORRANCE, Calif.--California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC) is recognizing the 107 various Southern California organizations and manufacturers who opened their doors on October 2nd to celebrate Manufacturing Day. This year we saw a 35% increase in participation over last year.

On October 2nd there was a tremendous turnout of students, educators and manufacturers touring plants, colleges and other organizations to get a taste of what manufacturing is all about. Manufacturing today is clean, streamlined, and uses technology as never before. And, this is the best time to get young people exposed to potential careers in manufacturing - the industry is on the cusp of a new evolution with additive manufacturing, smart manufacturing, digital manufacturing and nano-technology to name just a few.

At many events, like Moseys Production Machinists in Anaheim, students from Ball Junior High, along with their teacher, Shannon Hoos, had a tour of the manufacturing facility, the robotics used and the technology advancements made in manufacturing. These seventh graders and their teacher were inquisitive and enthusiastic to see equipment, machines and technology that they would not otherwise be exposed to.

At LA Valley College, Congressman Tony Cardenas from the 29th District sponsored a Manufacturing Day Open House for District 29 high school and college students, educators and manufacturers. The event opened with Congressman Cardenas sharing with attendees the importance of manufacturing as it contributes to the lives and well-being of families in District 29. Manufacturing CEOs led a panel sharing with event attendees their need for well-trained employees and how such a career path can be beneficial. And finally, graduates from the LA Valley College manufacturing training program spoke to the high school students on the value of the training they received at LAVC as it is reflected in their current careers in manufacturing. Several manufacturers hosted booths, encouraging students to speak with them about career paths in manufacturing. Richard Brent, CEO from Louroe Electronics worked closely with the District office and LA Valley College in pulling together the participants for this event. This is the first time LA Valley College has participated in Manufacturing Day and they feel that it was so well received that they will participate again next year.

On the other end of the spectrum, there is the Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa. This makerspace allows adults to have access to equipment, computer technology, and the creative interaction with other entrepreneurs. From making custom bluetooth speakers to custom knives for the military, Urban Workshop provides a place for innovation and creativity for manufacturers and "wannabe" manufacturers. They also offer classes for kids with a 12 Week Youth Learn and Build S.T.E.M. Program.

"We were delighted to meet all of the enthusiastic families that visited Urban Workshop on MFG day. It is encouraging to see the renewed interest in manufacturing and how things are made, and to be part of that education process," stated Steve Trindade, Founder and CEO.

And, of course, we cant forget San Diego which has a fabulous turnout each year with their manufacturers, schools and economic development organizations.

At Green Field Paper Company, President Rick Smith was delighted to talk about the history of the company and explain how they are currently using materials such as blue jeans, coffee chaff, garlic skins, wildflower seeds and hemp fibers to produce up to 1,000 sheets of recycled eco-friendly specialty papers every day. Green Field Paper Company is one of over 650 companies that currently belong to CMTCs Made in California program.

Braydon Moreno, one of the co-founders at Robo3D, spoke about how far the company has come in just 3 years after being started on a dining room table and launched with funds from crowdfunding. Students, industry insiders, and the general public were shown 3D printers and a myriad of custom products that can be produced, ranging from prosthetic limbs to dinosaur heads to topographical maps for the military. Brandon announced that the company is currently developing educational curriculum for K-12 students focusing on 3D printing, 3D modeling and 3D software.

"Manufacturing growth is critical to Southern Californias economic prosperity," says James Watson, President & CEO of CMTC. "National Manufacturing Day this month allowed the manufacturers and educational organizations to share stories and help the public realize how important the industry is to our economy."

Manufacturing Day has been celebrated throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico with over 2,400 participating organizations. The national day was established in 2012 to expand the knowledge about and improve the publics perception of manufacturing careers and the industrys value to the U.S. economy. The full list of all 107 manufacturers and organizations that participated is highlighted on the CMTC website.

For more information about National Manufacturing Day, click here or contact Ellen McKewen at emckewen@cmtc.com or 310-263-3018.

ABOUT CMTC
A private, nonprofit corporation established in 1992, CMTC is the Southern California affiliate of NIST MEP, under the Federal Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, a network of more than 60 centers across the country that provides assistance to small, medium and large manufacturers. CMTC serves Fresno to San Diego/Imperial County. CMTC and Manex represent the MEP system in California and work in close collaboration on all manufacturing issues and opportunities within the State of California. For more information, visit www.cmtc.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. Subscribe to our manufacturing network blog at http://www.cmtc.com/blog