SOUTHTEC News
Below you will find past news coverage on SOUTHTEC, the top southeast manufacturing trade show. For questions, or to submit a story email us at southtec@sme.org.

Alliance tackles manufacturing issues
The South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance has been working during the COVID-19 pandemic to help Palmetto State industries navigate issues including worker safety, lack of child care, supply chain interruptions, unemployment, and a thicket of local,…
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U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham: Road To Bringing PPE Supply Chain Back To The U.S. Runs Through South Carolina
U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) today spoke with the media about the importance of securing a reliable domestic supply chain of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) following a tour of the Parkdale Mills manufacturing facility in…
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For older workers, wearables are where it’s at
When the ergonomics team at General Motors decided to field test wearables to augment their plant workers’ physical abilities, they partnered with body mechanics experts who collect data in a scientific way—and talked with users.…
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Sumter’s SKF adding fully digital, automated process
New projects provide new opportunities, and a top local manufacturer has a world-class example right at its facility. SKF - which acquired Kaydon Corp. in recent years - is a world leader in bearings manufacturing…
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Automakers adjust to ‘new normal’ as they prepare to reopen plants
Kia, Volkswagen and Mercedes are starting up Monday, with Honda getting people back into the factory by May 1. Fiat Chrysler and Ford are formally scheduled to start up on a rolling basis on May…
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Manufacturing ‘Stepping Up’ to Combat COVID-19, NAM Says
U.S. manufacturing is “stepping up” to produce medical products needed to treat cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the head of a major trade and lobbying group said today. “They’re stepping up to keep supplying…
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A decade after landing in North Charleston, Boeing SC remains on sharp trajectory
For Brad Zaback, the 10th anniversary of Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner campus in North Charleston isn’t so much a time to reflect on the past but to plan for the future. “It has been incredible…
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North Carolina community colleges see increase in enrollment, workforce education
North Carolina’s community college system has seen its first spike in enrollment in the past decade, according to officials. The North Carolina Community College System saw a 4.4 percent increase in enrollment in the fall…
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Manufacturers to Find Key Opportunities in IIoT and Big Data at SOUTHTEC
The revolutionary digitalization of manufacturing — also known in the industry as Industry 4.0 — affects everything from production to processes to security. One of the greatest though perhaps least considered demands of Industry 4.0…
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Manufacturers to Learn How to Navigate Through a Fluctuating Economy
Manufacturing is one of the most important drivers of economic growth; it’s the stimulus for everything from trade, services and jobs. As the economy shapes – favorably or adversely – a manufacturer’s success depends on…
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Industry Remains Strong Amid Controversy, Anticipated Changes
Deloitte predicts the A&D industry will continue its growth trajectory in 2019, led by growing commercial aircraft production and strong defense spending. Reuters reported in mid-June that the “$150-billion-a-year commercial aircraft industry is entering a…
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Small Manufacturers Find Opportunity in Technology Disruptions
SOUTHTEC 2019 To Empower Southeastern Manufacturers September 19, 2019 by SME Communications SOUTHTEC 2019, the southeast’s most influential manufacturing trade show, returns to the Greenville Convention Center in South Carolina October 22-24. SOUTHTEC brings manufacturing…
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Southeast Manufacturing Is on a Roll
Economic conditions and manufacturing vary by country and region. In the United States, Southeast manufacturing has a special character and flavor you won’t find anywhere else, based on the region’s proximity and access to the…
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Valuating Your Used CNC Machines Before SOUTHTEC 2019
SOUTHTEC 2019 is almost here, and before you know it you will be face first in front of some of the best equipment brands that will make your job easier. One of the major concerns…
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Equipment Manufacturer Kubota Plans $85 Million Expansion in Georgia
Tractor and equipment manufacturer Kubota recently announced plans to build a new $85 million engineering and design center near its manufacturing plant in northern Georgia. The company last week announced the purchase of some 300 acres in…
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Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence Division Selects Greater Toronto Area for New Canadian Headquarters
North Kingstown, RI – July 30, 2019 – Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division announced it has selected the Greater Toronto Area for the site of its new Canadian headquarters in Oakville, Ontario. The interior of the…
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Moldmaking Technology: Precision Makes Perfect
Moldmaking technology probably isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think about manufacturing, but it’s been a crucial cog in the history of making things. Consider all the molded products we take…
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SC memos and distinctions (manufacturing excerpt)
South Carolina has so much to offer in manufacturing. Just take a look at this excerpt from The Post and Courier: Ingevity Corp. of North Charleston and Nucor Steel of Huger have been named recipients of the…
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A Look Inside South Carolina Manufacturing
With so many burgeoning industries creating seemingly endless opportunities for South Carolina manufacturing, it’s no wonder so many companies have chosen to manufacture there. As home to top companies such as Honda, Boeing, Patheon (Thermo…
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Lockheed Martin gearing up for production of first SC-built F-16
Defense giant Lockheed Martin cut the ribbon Tuesday on a South Carolina manufacturing site that aims to build F-16 fighter jets for U.S. allies around the world, although so far just a handful of orders…
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Space, high tech manufacturer IPSUM Technologies expanding with $19.2 million investment in Pickens County
"Manufacturing company IPSUM Technologies will be coming to Pickens County, officials said Wednesday as part of a $19.2 million investment that, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The company manufactures for high tech industries…
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BMW program introduces Upstate students to advanced manufacturing
As the skills gap continues to loom over American industry, BMW Manufacturing Co. in Spartanburg County is launching a new program to introduce Upstate students to advanced manufacturing. The “Driving Stem” program, which runs through…
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Employer needs drive new program at Greenville Tech
Have you ever wondered how colleges develop new degrees and programs? For two-year colleges, new offerings are directly tied to employer needs. Our role is to make sure that the companies in our community have…
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The Virtuous Cycle of Closed-Loop Manufacturing
Closed-loop manufacturing is a strategy for increasing revenue and reducing costs that relies on data from all parts of an organization. The data is used to inform development teams of improvements that can be made…
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There’s a strong need for women in advanced manufacturing
The share of women working in the manufacturing industry is at its highest point since April 2009. Over the last eight years, we have seen positive changes in the industry’s attitude toward recruiting, retaining and…
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Integro Technologies and Universal Robots to launch new 3D pick-n-place system at SOUTHTEC
Integro says it realizes that collaborative robot arms from Universal Robots are helping manufacturers step into Industry 4.0 seamlessly and safely. So, the company has developed a new 3D vision-guided application for random bin picking…
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Manufacturing’s Present, and Future, on Display at SOUTHTEC
The strength, and future promise, of manufacturing throughout the Southeast region shone brightly with myriad presentations on additive manufacturing, smart technologies, and student participation at SME’s SOUTHTEC 2017 held this week at the TD Convention…
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Panel Examines Women in Manufacturing
Although thoughts differ on how to encourage more women to enter the manufacturing field, one thing is certain: companies benefit from a diverse workforce. “Innovation increases when you get different people working together,” says Patricia…
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SOUTHTEC Brings Manufacturing Experts and Advanced Technology to South Carolina
GREENVILLE, S.C., Oct. 11, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hands-on access to today's most advanced technologies isn't the only thing attendees of the SOUTHTEC manufacturing show, produced by SME and AMT, will have at their fingertips. Representatives…
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Women in Manufacturing® Heads South for the Inaugural Women in Automotive (WiA) Southern Conference
This month, for the first time, Women in Manufacturing (WiM), the only national trade association dedicated to year-round support for women in the manufacturing sector, is bringing its trademarked top-quality programming to women working in…
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3D Printing and Smart Manufacturing Highlighted at SME’s SOUTHTEC
From October 24th to the 26th, the SOUTHTEC exhibition and conference will be taking place at the TD Convention Center in Greenville, South Carolina. Produced by SME and the Association for Manufacturing Technology (AMT), the…
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MP Systems Makes SOUTHTEC Debut with New Smart High Pressure Coolant System
MP Systems will display its new VR8 Variable Volume High Pressure Coolant System (HPCS) at the SOUTHTEC show in Greenville, South Carolina, in October. This is the first time the company has displayed the VR8…
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Morris Group, Inc. Distributors to Supply Desktop Metal 3D Printing Technology to Metal Cutting Manufacturers in 30 States
The Studio System™ is the first office-friendly metal 3D printing system for rapid prototyping. Windsor, Conn. (September 6, 2017) Morris Group, Inc. of Windsor, Connecticut, one of the largest CNC machine tool distribution networks in…
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CGTech to Demonstrate New VERICUT Version at SOUTHTEC
At SOUTHTEC in Greenville, SC, VERICUT version 8.1 will be featured in CGTech’s booth #1429. VERICUT CNC machine simulation, From October 24th to the 26th, the SOUTHTEC exhibition and conference will be taking place at…
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SCHUNK Press Release-Expansion of US Headquarters-August 2017
SCHUNK USA is pleased to announce the start of construction of an expansion at their US headquarters that will more than double the size of existing facilities. SCHUNK's US headquarters is already the largest facility…
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SOUTHTEC 2017 Celebrates Advancements and Workplace Inclusion in Southeast Manufacturing
GREENVILLE, SC, August 17, 2017 – Manufacturing is thriving in the southeast and manufacturers are enjoying considerable growth in a host of industries, from petrochemicals and automotive to aerospace. SOUTHTEC brings leaders and expertise to…
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An open letter to Apple: Manufacturing thanks you
Dear Tim Cook, On behalf of SME, thank you. Thank you for standing up for manufacturing. Thank you for investing your financial strength in the manufacturing industry that truly drives local, national and global economies.…
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Digital Manufacturing Boosts Competitiveness
In a column for The Huffington Post (5/4, Holt, Contributor) Proto Labs President and CEO Vicki Holt writes that “for businesses looking to operate more efficiently and competitively, digital manufacturing models have the potential to…
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SOUTHTEC named Top 250 Tradeshow
For 2017, there will be even more opportunities for attendees to explore groundbreaking manufacturing technologies, software and services. SOUTHTEC will not only feature aisle after aisle of exhibiting companies but will also include multiple opportunities…
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SME and AMT Unite
(CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2016) – AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and SME have announced a major new partnership for a series of regional co-branded trade shows focused on the manufacturing technology industry. The collaboration encompasses the…
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2016 Top States for Doing Business: Georgia Back in Top Spot Again
What’s it take to be recognized as a top state for doing business? On one hand, it’s a complicated question to answer, because there are a lot of factors that go into that kind of…
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Industrial Manufacturers’ Optimism Reflected in Expectations of Higher Revenue Growth, Increased Capital Spending
PwC's Q4 2016 Manufacturing Barometer reveals increased optimism about the U.S. economy. The senior executives of U.S.-based industrial manufacturing companies surveyed expect revenues to increase, and they are also increasing their capital spending plans. There…
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