On March 18, 2014, US Senator Chris Murphy visited Acme Wire Products in Mystic, CT to discuss his Manufacturing Compact with SECT manufacturers, technical educators and economic development committee members.  The meeting was coordinated by EAMA, the Eastern Advanced Manufacturing Alliance.  Senator Murphy has been meeting manufacturers throughout Connecticut to review proposals he is presenting to Congress and to solicit feedback and also to learn about the concerns and needs of manufacturers in each district.  Acme Wire Products hosted the meeting for the eastern CT manufacturers.

The event was attended by approximately 30 individuals from manufacturing companies that included Electric Boat, Hillery Company, Westminster Tool, the Lee Company, Sound Manufacturing, Collins & Jewell and Plas-Pak, as well as representatives from Three Rivers Community College, Quinebaug Valley Community College, the SouthEastern Connecticut Enterprise Region and the Eastern Workforce Investment Board.

Senator Murphy’s Manufacturing Compact focuses on action items that are critically important to the state manufacturing community and include workforce development, more streamlined regulatory processes, the establishment of manufacturing reinvestment accounts, Brownfield redevelopment, the establishment of trade agreements promoting exports and improvements in infrastructure.

Senator Murphy views Acme Wire Products’ CNC wireforming processes

The topic of workforce development was discussed at length as one of the focuses of the EAMA organization has been training and retraining of local residents for manufacturing careers and promoting the local opportunities available in advanced manufacturing.  In addition to working with the local community colleges, EAMA has been hosting professional development days for high school technical educators, open houses at local manufacturers and manufacturing awareness events for middle school, high school and college students at the community colleges.

Following the meeting, Acme Wire Products provided a tour of their factory which highlighted the tool design and tool room, CNC wire fabrication and robotic welding departments and powder coating processes.  The tour provided the Senator and local manufacturers a perspective on the wide range of Acme Wire Products’ capabilities.

To learn more about upcoming open houses in Southeastern CT and EAMA events, visit www.eama.org  To learn more about Acme Wire Products’ processes, visit www.acmewire.com