News Room
2018 Manufacturing Day & Illinois Manufacturing Month
With the State of Illinois recognizing October as Manufacturing Month and Manufacturing Day on Friday, October 5, we’re celebrating in a big way by partnering with local companies to open up their doors for presentations and tours.
What is Manufacturing Day?
Manufacturing Day® is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers and occurs on the first Friday in October. Manufacturing Day addresses common misperceptions about manufacturing by giving manufacturers an opportunity to open their doors and show, in a coordinated effort, what manufacturing is – and what it isn’t. Learn more at http://www.mfgday.com/.
Illinois Manufacturing Highlights:
* Manufacturing is the third largest industry in Illinois by employment with more than 580,000 workers.
* Illinois is the fourth largest manufacturing state in the nation by output.
* Manufacturing makes up 93.6% of all Illinois goods exported.
You are invited to join us for these events on Friday, October 5 – all open to the public:
Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. Tour – 8:30 – 10:30 AM
Champaign, IL
Established in June 1986, Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI), manufactures liquid filters using automated, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques. Highly automated production techniques enable AFSI to manufacture filters of the highest quality at competitive prices. The filters are used in lube, fuel, and hydraulic applications.
Established in June 1986, Advanced Filtration Systems Inc. (AFSI), manufactures liquid filters using automated, computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) techniques. Highly automated production techniques enable AFSI to manufacture filters of the highest quality at competitive prices. The filters are used in lube, fuel, and hydraulic applications.
One tour will be provided – and is two hours in total (start to finish, with time for Q&A). Learn more + RSVP here.
Litania Sports Group Tours – 9:30 – 11:30 AM
Champaign, IL
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic.
Litania Sports Group is the parent company of two market-leading brands in the sports facility market, Gill Athletics and Porter Athletic.
Tours will be offered every half hour from 9:30 – 11:30 AM. Learn more + RSVP here.
ShapeMaster, Inc. Tours – 10 AM – 3 PM
Ogden, IL
In January 1990, ShapeMaster was formed because they saw a need to provide buyers, engineers, inventors, and designers with the ability to order small or large quantities of solutions in plastics and other materials for the manufacturing of their products; regardless of their size, they receive the same high level quality of service.
In January 1990, ShapeMaster was formed because they saw a need to provide buyers, engineers, inventors, and designers with the ability to order small or large quantities of solutions in plastics and other materials for the manufacturing of their products; regardless of their size, they receive the same high level quality of service.
Tours will be offered every hour from 10 AM – 3 PM, except 12 – 1 PM. Learn more + RSVP here.
Illinois MakerLab Tours – 10 AM – 2 PM
Champaign, IL
The Illinois MakerLab is the world’s first Business School 3D Printing Lab. The lab was co-founded by Dr. Aric Rindfleisch (Executive Director) and Dr. Vishal Sachdev (Director) and opened in Spring 2013.
Tours will be offered every half hour from 10 AM – 2 PM. Learn more + RSVP here.
Riggs Beer Company Tours – 3 – 7:30 PM
Urbana, IL
Riggs Beer Company, opened in June 2016, is a family-owned production brewery and tap room in Urbana, Illinois that features Lagers and other German and American beer styles.
Riggs Beer Company, opened in June 2016, is a family-owned production brewery and tap room in Urbana, Illinois that features Lagers and other German and American beer styles.
Two tours will be offered – one at 3 PM and one at 5:30 PM. A one-hour technical tour is followed by a tasting of all beers with the brewmaster (plan up to two hours total). $10/person, includes beer tasting. Learn more + RSVP here.
Join us later in the month (October 23 & 25) for tours at The Product Manufactory and Inpretnus – all open to the public:
The Product Manufactory Tours – 2 – 3 PM
Urbana, IL
The Product Manufactory (TPM) is a product design and R&D firm composed of highly skilled engineers, designers, coders, and fabricators. The products they’ve developed have ranged from research instrumentation to consumer electronics to railroad power supplies.
Inprentus Tours – 2 – 4 PM
Champaign, IL
Inprentus manufactures the most efficient high line density diffraction gratings in the world. Inprentus was founded in June 2012 by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign physics professor Peter Abbamonte to commercialize an innovative nano-scale scribing technology, which is a technique for carrying out precision lithography via mechanical deformation of metallic surfaces.
Thank you to The Atkins Group for their support as our official sponsor of Manufacturing Day in Champaign County.
View all Manufacturing Day / Illinois Manufacturing Month events in Champaign County here.