19-12-2012

AFPM to facilitate the return of manufacturing in America

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM) will work with the academic community to begin a series of national-level discussions to focus on the return of manufacturing to the United States as a result of increased shale development. The inaugural event of the Manufacturing Renaissance Series will be hosted by Carnegie Mellon University’s Scott Institute for Energy Innovation on January 10, 2013, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Today there is a pressing need to bring together the upstream, midstream and downstream players in the supply chain, for a discussion on what it will take to return manufacturing back to the United States. The mission of the Manufacturing Renaissance Series is to provide an educational and discussion forum for decision makers, industry leaders, labor, top academics and other stakeholders to discuss the manufacturing supply chain in detail, the potential impacts of responsible shale development, and the role of, and need for, innovation. The goal of this series is to produce a playbook on how to realize the full manufacturing potential of the shale revolution.

“We are the most fortunate manufacturing region in the world today. We have advantaged raw materials, advanced infrastructure and expertise along the entire supply chain,” said AFPM President Charles T. Drevna. “The United States is in a position to get a 10 to 15 year jump on the rest of the world if we handle things right today. Partnering with Carnegie Mellon University on this project makes perfect sense; it has sterling academic credentials and the region it calls home is experiencing the benefits of shale development, first-hand.”

"The petrochemical industry is on the verge of expanding, and our region's abundant deposits of shale gas could play an important role in boosting the importance of manufacturing. We see these roundtable sessions as a great way to develop a blueprint for helping the region and the nation reclaim its lead in manufacturing prowess,'' said Andy Gellman, head of Carnegie Mellon University's top-ranked Department of Chemical Engineering.

The Manufacturing Renaissance Series will continue throughout 2013 at various academic institutions and will include in-depth discussions on the policies and practices that have an impact on the manufacturing supply chain.