Marlin Steel President Speaks about Worker Training at "Reinvesting in American Manufacturing" Conference


HOUSTON, Texas – Drew Greenblatt, president of Marlin Steel Wire Products in Baltimore, spoke on labor needs for manufacturing today before the “Reinvesting In American Manufacturing” conference.



The two-day conference focused on ways American companies can accelerate “reshoring” of manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. from overseas. “We’re not going to beat China because we’re cheaper than them,” Greenblatt said.



“We’re going to beat them with better and more unique approaches to solving problems for customers. And that happens as a result of an emphasis on innovations, superior technology and worker training.”



The panel, “titled “The Great Labor Debate,” focused on how to better prepare prospective employees with skills they need to fill opportunities in modern manufacturing. Greenblatt was joined on the panel by Jennifer McNelly, president of the Manufacturing Institute, and Christopher Lofgren, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Schneider National Inc. Brian Kelsey, director of economic development for the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO), an association of regional development organizations, moderated the panel.



By adding skilled mechanical engineers and $3.5 million invested in automation, Marlin Steel pivoted from building commodity bagel baskets exclusively to a different product line -- fabricating customized containers for a wide variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace and pharmaceuticals. Marlin ships steel wire baskets, sheet metal enclosures, wire forms and other products to 36 countries. The company retrained its production staff from reliance on largely labor-heavy, low-tech methods to practices based in automation, innovation and lean principles.



Greenblatt serves as an executive board member of the National Association of Manufacturers and as chairman of the National Alliance for Jobs and Innovation (NAJI) and the Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI). He is on the Maryland Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness and Governor O’Malley’s International Advisory Council.

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