GA Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) Georgia Tech

Tim Israel Named Director of Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership

By

Tim Israel Headshot

The Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2), Georgia Tech’s economic development arm, has named Tim Israel, director of the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP).

Israel, who had been GaMEP’s associate director and group manager of process improvement, will be responsible for the manufacturing resources and regional staff located across Georgia.

He succeeds Karen Fite, who was named interim vice president of EI2 in July of 2019.

“Tim has done an outstanding job in leading our efforts to work with Georgia manufacturers in increasing their efficiencies and process improvements, especially in waste reduction, streamlining operations, and quality control systems implementation,” Fite said. “His experience and expertise, as well as his vast and deep relationships within Georgia Tech and with our GaMEP partners ensures continued success of our mission.”

Israel, a 30-year veteran at Georgia Tech, began his career as a project engineer in Tech’s Gainesville Regional Office. He also served as a project manager in Georgia Tech’s Georgia Productivity and Quality Center (GPQC) and the Center for International Standards and Quality (CISQ).

An expert in lean manufacturing, quality management systems, and supplier development, Israel earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech.

GaMEP Taps Wendy White to Lead Statewide Efforts in Food Safety Program

By

Wendy White Headshot

Wendy White, a nationally known food safety expert, has joined the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) as a food safety project manager.

In that capacity, she will provide educational outreach and support to help Georgia food manufacturers improve their food safety and quality systems.

Prior to joining the GaMEP, White was director of corporate food safety and quality at Golden State Foods, a food manufacturer and distributor in the industry with more than 35 sites around the world.

“I will work to help Georgia food manufacturers comply with government regulations for food safety and to be in compliance with those rules to avoid heavy fines, delays, and shutdowns,” White said.

She also will lead GaMEP’s new Food Safety Cohort Program, helping companies achieve compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA,) through a series of six 1-day group training sessions and additional one-on-one coaching sessions.

“Wendy brings an incredible wealth of knowledge and expertise which will be especially critical for our small- to medium-sized food manufacturers in Georgia,” said GaMEP Associate Director Tim Israel.

Many large companies have the resources to devote strictly to their compliance activities, but our small companies, don’t always have that, he said.

“Through her efforts, Wendy will help those smaller Georgia food manufacturers develop and expand robust compliance activities so that they’re sustainable over the long term as well as, easy to understand and implement into their operations,” Israel said.

Georgia is among the nation’s leading agriculture states and the industry accounts for nearly $75 billion of the state’s economy each year.

Food manufacturing, or food processing, is a related and growing segment of the Georgia economy. This sector, which includes 69,000 jobs across Georgia, generates $11 billion to $12 billion each year in total output.

White has overseen food safety operations at multiple facilities where she implemented Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans and related quality programs.

Her experience also includes overseeing internal audits, implementing corporate programs, ensuring regulatory compliance, elevating food safety culture, and supporting global supply chain management. She successfully implemented multiple Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI) Certification Programs and is on the editorial board of Food Safety Magazine.

White is also a highly sought-after speaker at food safety conferences and is very involved in the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP). She’s held multiple leadership positions, and currently serves as vice chair of the Meat and Poultry PDG and sits on its Foundation Committee.  White is past president of the Georgia Association of Food Protection (GAFP) and currently is an IAFP board delegate.

She received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in food science from the University of Georgia.

Click Here for More Information on GaMEP’s Food Safety and Quality services.

Innovation Test Track Competition

By

SAC 2018 Innovation Test Track Award Ceremony
From left, John Evans, department chair of Industrial and Systems Engineering and director of the Thomas Walter Center for Technology Management at Auburn University, the 2018 Innovation Test Track (ITT) sponsor; Mike Stonecipher, organizer and emcee of 2018 ITT and automotive industry project manager for the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech; Jack Sisk, 2017 ITT event lead and member of Auburn University’s Industrial and Systems Engineering team; Paul Noble, CEO of AUTIT and competition winner; and judges Jane (Karwoski) McCracken, interim director, Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech; Tim Yerdon, president, Plymouth Technology Advisors, LLC; Jimmy D’Emilio, procurement manager, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia; Rusty Kruciak, 2nd Generation Capital, Nashville, and Jianan Sun, Innovation Hub Solution Architect at Mercedes-Benz USA.

The Innovation Test Track Competition is held each year during the Southern Automotive Conference and encourages companies with innovative products or services that could benefit the automotive industry to pitch their concept to a panel of judges who have a background in innovation. This year, GaMEP project manager, Mike Stonecipher, helped organize the event and served as emcee for the awards ceremony. Stonecipher said, “Each of the finalists are technology leaders and demonstrate the passion required to make transportation and manufacturing innovative, safer, and exciting.”

The winner of the event was AUTIT (now known as Verusen), an Atlanta-based startup that uses artificial intelligence to help manufacturers accurately predict inventory needs and avoid buying excess inventory.

Read the full article in Southern Automotive Alliance Magazine.

Atlanta Business Chronicle Viewpoint: Call to Action for Georgia Manufacturers

By

Originally published in the Atlanta Business Chronicle on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018. View the original here.

Georgia’s manufacturing industry is at a crossroad.

For decades, Georgia has attracted manufacturing investment dollars from across the globe thanks to a large workforce, affordable real estate and robust logistics infrastructure.

That favorable climate has attracted billions of dollars of investment from TOTO, Southwire, KIA and hundreds of other companies whose manufacturing facilities have created thousands of jobs in the Peach State.

For all that our state has to offer, too few Georgia manufacturers are making meaningful investments in digitization, workforce training and long-term, strategic innovation. This is according to the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Survey, “Securing Georgia’s Economic Future,” sponsored by Aprio and Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP).

Given the extraordinary pace of change, Georgia manufacturers have an unprecedented opportunity to lead or get left behind.

Manufacturers Must Embrace Industry 4.0

We are in the throes of a 4th industrial revolution. As with every revolution, there will be winners and losers. No sector of manufacturing will be immune. Even manufacturers in ostensibly “low-tech” sectors will eventually find themselves on the front lines of this digital revolution.

Our survey shows that larger manufactures are making bold investments in digitization, while others are hanging back. Only 38 percent of small manufacturers in Georgia have implemented progressive digital technologies such as robots and RFID, compared with 71 percent of medium-sized and 84 percent of large manufacturers.

Digitization is the most disruptive force in manufacturing today, and it will be a determinant of long-term success or failure. From blockchain to AI to data analytics, ROI-enhancing digital tools are increasingly within reach. Manufacturing executives must strike a balance between spending for today and investing in game-changing initiatives that position them for the future. The reward for decisive action today is increased profitability, expanded opportunities, and a competitive edge tomorrow.

Request a copy of the full 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Survey results.

Take Ownership of the Skills Gap

The drive for digitization is inextricably linked to workforce development. An educated, skilled labor market is a requirement for manufacturers making the transition to Industry 4.0, but it’s also an area where Georgia manufacturers continue to struggle. Already, digitization is creating workforce shortages in areas such as data science, in addition to more traditional manufacturing skill sets.

If Georgia manufacturers are unable to fill pre-Industry 4.0 jobs, the skills gap will only widen in the coming decades. More than a third of manufacturers we surveyed cite a lack of technically skilled workers, such as those with electrical and machining expertise. Historically, Georgia manufacturers spend minimal resources on training. In fact, 25 percent had made no investments in training.

Near-record low unemployment rates of 3.9 percent and a strong economy may be lulling manufacturers into complacency. Georgia manufacturers must take control of their workforce destiny. As the need for highly-skilled workers increases, the talent war will only become more fierce.

Forward thinking organizations must take a more proactive role in creating an upwardly mobile workforce. That includes offering tuition reimbursement programs, bonuses and raises for those who seek additional training, as well as apprenticeships and cross-training opportunities. In a tight labor market, employers of choice know that a positive, supportive workplace culture is key to recruitment and retention. Job satisfaction and employee retention is about more than just money.

Only 18 percent of manufacturers in our survey offer training incentives now, whereas 40 percent pay bonuses for productivity increases. This is evidence of a shortsighted focus on today at the expense of investing in the future.

Secure Georgia’s Manufacturing Future

Revolutions only come around so often. This is an exciting time for anyone in the business of making things. Likewise, anyone holding onto “the way things have always been done” is on the wrong side of history.

Bold action starts with taking first steps. Manufacturing decision makers can begin by mapping a long-term strategy that balances today’s bottom line with the need for future investments.

Not sure where to start? A full report of findings from the 2018 Georgia Manufacturing Survey, along with key insights from industry leaders, will be available at the end of September. You can request a copy here.

More than 450 Georgia manufacturers participated in this year’s survey, which was conducted in early 2018 and was sponsored by Aprio, the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at the Georgia Institute of Technology, the Georgia Department of Labor and Kennesaw State University.

The survey began nearly a quarter of a century ago and is held every two to three years to benchmark advances in manufacturing technology, practices and techniques.

Karen Fite is the director of the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) and other programs based at the Georgia Institute of Technology that serve manufacturers. She holds an MBA from the University of Miami and a B.S. in health systems from Georgia Tech.

Adam Beckerman is the partner in charge of Aprio’s Manufacturing & Distribution group. He earned a B.A. in accounting from State University of New York College at Plattsburgh.

GaMEP at Georgia Tech awarded grant for food safety modernization program

By

 

U.S. Department of Commerce award will support targeted focus on small food and beverage manufacturers in four states.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Sept. 12, 2018) — The Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech was awarded a $986,805 grant to create a food safety program that will serve small food and beverage manufacturers in Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, and Oregon.

This four-state MEP effort, led by the GaMEP, is aimed at helping these small manufacturers comply with the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements. The law, enacted in 2011, seeks to ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply by shifting regulators’ attention to contamination prevention to reduce outbreaks.

The grant from the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) will support the effort over a three-year period. The award was part of $7 million in total grants NIST gave to MEP centers in seven states and the U.S. island territory of Puerto Rico.

The GaMEP is designing an affordable FSMA compliance and food safety management system implementation program with its partners for small and very small food and beverage manufacturers within each state.

“Agriculture and industries related to food are critical to the economies of Georgia and to the states that we’re partnering with, both in direct financial impact, and jobs,” said GaMEP Associate Director Timothy D. Israel.

“But as large as the sector is, it’s chiefly comprised of small companies or very small family-run businesses or partnerships that don’t always have the resources or expertise to meet all the requirements for safety compliance.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in 2017 it monitored between 18 and 37 potential food poisoning cases and clusters each week and almost 200 weekly cases of outbreaks affecting multiple states.

Protecting the nation’s food supply chain is critical, but even more so for small and very small food processors that are responding to consumer taste trends, are often processing high risk foods that include fresh produce, dry ingredients, and dairy, he said.

“All of those types of foods have experienced outbreaks in the last few years and most of the small food processing businesses in Georgia and those of our partner states simply can’t afford the financial toll of a recall or disruption,” Israel said. “This is one of the reasons this critical need has to be addressed.”

The program services will first target FSMA compliance in the development of food safety management systems for human consumption, Israel said. It would then potentially be expanded to support manufacturers of pet food, as well as food safety management system certification, third-party certification audits, food defense compliance, and technology insertion for hazard controls.

“Agriculture contributes $73 billion to Georgia’s economy each year, and food processing manufacturing adds another $11 billion to $12 billion each year to it,” he said. “That’s why it’s imperative we focus our efforts on ensuring these small companies and very small companies have the tools, resources, and training to be in compliance.”

About Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP)

GaMEP exists to serve manufacturers and advance Georgia manufacturing. GaMEP is a program within Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute and is a member of the National MEP network supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). With offices in 10 regions across the state, GaMEP has served Georgia manufacturers since 1960. Through coaching and training, GaMEP offers solutions-based approaches designed to increase top-line growth and reduce bottom-line cost. For more information, visit: gamep.org.