SME to hold collaborative event in Fort Worth, TX.

Press Release Summary:



Collaborate 2007 will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas, October 16-18, 2007. The event promotes collaboration between aerospace, automotive, and defense industries and includes keynotes, conference sessions, interactive exhibits, and behind-the-scenes tours. A keynote panel: Collaboration is the Answer to Globalization will include panelists from Ford Motor Company, Boeing Military Aircraft and Missiles, and Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.



Original Press Release:



Collaborate 2007 Heads to Fort Worth, Texas



DEARBORN, Mich., September 11, 2007 - Building on the success of its premier in Alabama in 2006, Collaborate 2007 - North America's only aerospace, automotive and defense collaborative event - will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas, October 16-18, 2007.

This event is designed to foster formal collaboration between these three industries, all of which have a heavy presence in Texas, specifically the Forth Worth area. Comprised of informative keynotes and conference sessions, dozens of interactive exhibits and exclusive behind-the-scenes tours, the event gives attendees the opportunity to share best-practices and discover new ways to cut costs, improve processes and exceed customer demands.

Kathleen Mennillo, event manager for Collaborate 2007 explains the choice to move to Texas, "SME made the decision to host the second Collaborate event in Fort Worth because of its rich and rapidly growing manufacturing presence in the aerospace, automotive and defense industries. We felt this would be a great opportunity to have a built-in audience and also a chance for the Fort Worth area to really showcase what it has to offer in terms of industry. We are very excited to be here and especially to provide attendees access to see the cutting-edge technology they are using at the GM and Lockheed Martin facilities."

Event Highlights
Keynote Panel: Collaboration is the Answer to Globalization - Richard J. Furness, manager, powertrain advanced manufacturing technology, Ford Motor Company, Allen Haggerty, vice president-general manager (retired), Boeing Military Aircraft and Missiles, and Larry Pike, vice president of production operations, strategy and integration, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company are the panelists representing each of the target industries of the event.

Pre-Conference Workshop - Sean Nobari, operational excellence manager for transmission, casting, machining and axle division, Chrysler Corporation will lead a half day workshop on transformational leadership and lean strategy.

Tours
General Motors - Attendees will walk through the assembly of a full-size sport utility vehicle and see how vision cameras closely monitor product quality and how operators interface with automation and robots.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company - Attendees will see the F-16 and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter during fabrication and assembly. Processes and enabling advanced technologies will be presented as well as applications of lean techniques and practices.

For more information or event registration please visit www.sme.org/collaborate or call (800) 733-4763.

About SME:
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers is the world's leading professional society supporting manufacturing education. Through its member programs, publications, expositions and professional development resources, SME promotes an increased awareness of manufacturing engineering and helps keep manufacturing professionals up to date on leading trends and technologies. Headquartered in Michigan, SME influences more than half a million manufacturing practitioners and executives annually. The Society, which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2007, has members in more than 70 countries and is supported by a network of hundreds of technical communities and chapters worldwide.

All Topics