"There is nothing inevitable about the decline of American manufacturing. The path to renewal is through innovation. We cannot win the battle to be the lowest-cost producer, but we can win by designing and manufacturing the cutting-edge, high-tech, precision products of the future."

- Chris Trimble, Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth

About Us

History

In Fall 2009, business leaders in western New England1 observed that the region’s large community of advanced manufacturers was awarding various contracts outside of the region. Further investigation showed that the primary cause was manufacturers not knowing what qualified and certified supply chain members and innovators were already on the ground in the region. Some examples uncovered were:

  • A global, multimillion-dollar manufacturer of custom cable assemblies, serving various industry sectors from its Chicopee, MA plant, had recently won a major contract with a foreign government for cable assemblies in its new train cars. The manufacturer needed electrical boxes and sourced them outside of the region – not knowing an equally qualified vendor was located only minutes away in West Springfield, MA.
  • A new laboratory automation company in Windsor, CT went to California for a supplier of custom pipettes. They could have gone to any one of a dozen pipette manufacturers located in CT and MA.
  • A rapidly growing wind turbine company in Wilbraham, MA was seeking laser manufacturing of some of its components. As it looked out of state, it was subsequently introduced to a major laser OEM2 and manufacturer only minutes away in Chicopee, MA.

Further investigation also showed a need for the latest manufacturing-specific innovations that would further enhance advanced manufacturing productivity, product development and processes… the lifeblood and critical catalysts for growth. Introduction to new industry and market sectors was also mentioned as a priority by the manufacturing community.

AMICCON was born.

 

Goals

AMICCON is not a trade show. It is a multi-pronged initiative, developed BY manufacturers FOR manufacturers in order to:

  • Solicit and expose innovation for manufacturing – products, processes, IT, nanotechnology, robotics, coatings and advanced materials, integrated systems, inventory management, order tracking, and more.
  • Identify local, qualified supply chain members and introduce them to the region’s manufacturers through a dedicated website and database.
  • Introduce OEMs, procurement and government contractors to the region’s advanced manufacturers through a continuum of highly focused programs.
  • Create the region’s first manufacturing innovation competition.
  • Promote the region’s strengths in: precision machining, plastics, paper and packaging, green technology, electronics and medical devices.3

Vision

To grow and brand the region as an innovative, advanced manufacturing “hub” for the US in ‘exotic’, nano, micro and precision, short run productions, and more, by identifying and utilizing current and future state-of-the-art technologies followed by superior and strategic exposure.

Non-Profit

AMICCON’s status as a 501(c)(3), non-profit organization is a work in progress.

1Western New England: Springfield, MA, west to Albany, NY, north to Southern, VT, south to central CT

2OEM – Original Equipment Manufacturer; refers to the company that originally manufactured the product.

3Most clusters and sectors formally identified by Battelle studies in 2001 and 2003 and by other professional means.

 

 

Leadership

Founders

  • Ellen Bemben, President, T2 Foundation, Wilbraham, MA
  • Jeffrey Sattler, President, NUVO Bank & Trust, Springfield, MA

Steering Committee

Expo & Conference

  • Matthew Boyd, VP, Business Development, Boyd Technologies, South Lee, MA
  • Martin Caine, Regional Manager, Wolf & Co., Springfield, MA
  • Shawn deVillier, Senior Vice President, Raymond James & Associates, Springfield, MA
  • Peter Ellis, VP, Creative Director, DIF Design, Springfield, MA
  • Kim Farrugia, Senior Trade Show Manager, EASTEC/Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Dearborn, MI
  • Gary Gasperack, VP & General Manager (Ret.), Spalding Sports Div. of Russell, Holyoke, MA
  • Eric Hagopian, President, Hoppe Tool, Chicopee, MA
  • Stanley Kowalski, III, Founder, FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp., Wilbraham, MA
  • Daryl Ott, Membership Director, National Tooling & Machining Association (NTMA); Executive Director, Connecticut Tooling & Machining Association (CTMA)
  • Anne Paradis, President & CEO, MicroTek, Chicopee, MA
  • Joseph Peters, President & CEO, Universal Plastics, Holyoke, MA
  • Tony Peterson, President, Atlantic Fasteners, West Springfield, MA
  • Jeffrey Shinners, President, Pioneer Packaging, Chicopee, MA
  • Terry VanderWert, President, PRIMA N.A., Chicopee, MA

Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Competition (AMIC)

  • Michael Gurau, Managing Partner, Clear Venture Partners, Freeport, ME
  • Paul Silva, Managing Partner, Angel Catalyst & River Valley Investors, South Hadley, MA

Partners

  • Eric Hagopian, Co-President, Western Massachusetts National Tooling & Machining Association, (WMNTMA), Hoppe Tool, Chicopee, MA
  • Russell Kruzelock, PhD, President & CEO, Cenovance, San Antonio, TX (Defense, Biotech)
  • James Lescault, Director, Amherst Community Television, ACTV (Video, National Network)
  • David Miller, NE Regional Sales, PolyOne, Westfield, MA (Plastics)
  • George O’Brien, Editor, & Kate Campiti, Associate Publisher, BusinessWest, Springfield, MA
  • Deborah Santy, Executive Director, CT Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Hartford, CT (Federal Funding, Innovation)