December 2014 - In This Issue:
UPCOMING EVENTS
Manufacturer's Edge has a number of exciting events percolating. Stay tuned for more details on upcoming tours, webinars, seminars, and the next Beers & Gears brewery tour!

In the meantime, take a look at the events listed below:
STAY CONNECTED - BOULDER CREEK WINERY TOUR
Dec 11 @ 5:30-8:30pm
Boulder Creek Winery

Join us for a tour of Boulder Creek Winery and networking with other supply chain management professionals. 

 

Register here

NAM END-OF-YEAR TAX UPDATE
DEC 17 @ 1:00-2:00pm
Online Webinar

Join BKD and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) for a look at the fiscal environment for manufacturers in 2014 and what's on the horizon. Join Carolyn Lee, senior director of tax policy for NAM, and BKD National Manufacturing & Distribution Group Partner Chris Kramer as they provide insight and perspective on ongoing tax policy debates, tax reform challenges and how possible outcomes may affect manufacturing companies.

 

Register here

STAY CONNECTED - HIRSH PRECISION PRODUCTS
Jan 8 @ 5:00pm-8:00pm
Hirsh Precision Machining
$25 fee includes post tour appetizers and beverages

Please join friends and other members of APICS Northern Colorado for a great networking event at Hirsh Precision Machining.

Manufacturer's Edge Receives Grant from the DOC 

Grant will help connect Colorado manufacturers to new suppliers and customers 

Manufacturer's Edge has won a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's (DOC) National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create a pilot business-to-business network throughout the State

 

NIST awarded $2.5 million in grants to 10 MEP Centers nationwide to pilot online regional business-to-business network projects. The networks help match buyers and sellers of products and services in support of small and midsize manufacturers.

 

"Manufacturer's Edge has been an invaluable resource for the state's manufacturing industry," says Senator Michael Bennet. "These types of collaborative projects allow us to connect consumers, manufacturers and other regional partners, and we are pleased that they will receive this funding to continue expanding their network."

 

Manufacturer's Edge will use much of the funds from the grant to support people in partner organizations who will work within their region to identify manufacturers and help them make connections with new suppliers and customers throughout Colorado. Based on the Manufacturer's Connect tool, which Manufacturer's Edge has developed over the last year by working with the Southern Colorado Business Partnership, this effort will support people all along the Front Range and the Western Slope.

 

Get a sneak peak of the tool on our new website 

Manufacturer's Edge Partners with Tooling U to Offer Online Education

Collaboration with Tooling U-SME will provide online manufacturing courses
As the workforce development and training division of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Tooling U-SME has provided rich training content for more than 6,000 manufacturing companies and 600 educational institutions is the US and beyond. With more than 450 courses in English, Spanish and Chinese, every Tooling U-SME online training title has been designed and developed around a repeatable approach that is reviewed by subject matter experts (SMEs) for technical accuracy. The result is comprehensive online content from foundational skills to advanced techniques that is incredibly learner-focused, technically clear, and tailored specifically for manufacturing professionals.

 

Find out more on our website 

Advanced Industries (AI) Accelerator Program Grants Available 

Turning Colorado's research and development strengths into new companies, jobs, exports and products
The Advanced Industries (AI) Accelerator Programs were created in 2013 to promote growth and sustainability in these industries by helping drive innovation, accelerate commercialization, encourage public-private partnerships, increase access to early stage capital and create a strong ecosystem that increases the state's global competitiveness.

Colorado's advanced industries include: Aerospace, Advanced Manufacturing, Bioscience, Electronics, Energy and Natural Resources (including Cleantech), Infrastructure Engineering, and Technology and Information. The economic impact of these industries account for nearly 30 percent of the state's wage earnings, nearly 30 percent of the total sales revenues across all industries within the state and nearly 35 percent of the state's total exports.

As part of the statewide strategy to support these critical industries in their various phases of growth, OEDIT offers four types of grants and a global business support program. Grants are available for Proof of Concept, Early-Stage Capital & Retention,Infrastructure Funding and AI Exports. A network of consultants and an export training program are also available as part of the business support program to support these industries as they strive to tap worldwide markets.


For more information, please visit our website.
Kids Connection
STEM tour of REO 

The STEM Launch faculty were recently given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Research Electro-Optics (REO) facilities in Boulder. The faculty group would like to extend their heartfelt thanks for taking the time to show them around. These sorts of experiences are invaluable in the classroom and help to keep the instructors up-to-date on their knowledge of current practices in the field.

Please contact Manufacturer's Edge if you would like to get involved in our Kids Connection program or know of any events or projects taking place across the state that will help us toward our goal of building tomorrow's Edisons. Thank you!
Manufacturer's Edge Holiday Shopping Guide
Colorado-made gifts for $25 or less 

With only 4 days left until Hanukkah begins and less than two weeks until Christmas, we're moving into our final days of holiday shopping and, if you're anything like us, you may be in need of some last minute inspiration. Never fear! We have compiled a list of wonderful, affordable suggestions - all gifts produced by our clients here in Colorado and ALL for $25 or less!

Allegro Coffee Celebration Caff� ($5.99 for 8 oz.)
With hints of roasted almond, bittersweet chocolate, and dark plum, Allegro Coffee's Celebration Caff� is the perfect stocking stuffer to help perk up your Christmas morning!

Take a look at the full list here!
Ska Brewing Company
Company Week and Manufacturer's Edge Innovative Manufacturer
By Eric Peterson
www.skabrewing.com
Durango, Colorado
Founded: 1995
Privately owned
Employees: 65

After 19 years of brewing, co-owners Dave Thibodeau, Matt Vincent, and Bill Graham are in the catbird's seat as options for growth abound.

Thibodeau and Graham started Ska Brewing to kickstart new careers, and Vincent bought a piece in 1999. Nearly twenty years in, it's easily the biggest brewery in the Four Corners region. After hitting about 33,000 barrels in 2014, the projection for 2015 is 15 percent growth to about 38,000 barrels.

 

In the early years, Ska scrimped and scraped, buying used dairy equipment to repurpose from brewing and slowly expanding at its first facility. The big investment came in 2008, when Ska built its current brewery south of downtown Durango and installed a canning line...

 

Read the full article

 

Visit Ska Brewing website

Manufacturer's EDGE
STRENGTHENING THE QUANTITY & QUALITY OF MANUFACTURERS IN COLORADO