GRBJ.com: An industry with a view

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Downtown Grand Rapids pedestrians soon will be given a window into advanced machining and robotics projects at a $3 million lab that opened last year.

Movers brought in several large pieces of equipment on Sept. 3 and 4 to the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Lab at Western Michigan University, or AMP Lab @ WMU. The machines are so large the glass had to be removed from the lab’s street-level windows to lower them down to an open area that will serve as a makerspace for medical devices and possibly other types of products, with the equipment being run by expert technicians.

Continue reading at GRBJ.com…

WMU: WMU’s regional manufacturing lab installs new high-tech equipment

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Western Michigan University’s regional state-of the-art manufacturing laboratory is receiving three new pieces of Autocam Medical manufacturing equipment this month to help build its prototyping capabilities.

The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Laboratory, or the AMP Lab @ WMU, in downtown Grand Rapids, received its first machine, a CNC 5 Axis Mill that enables the machining of complex parts using a wide range of modular tools, on Sept. 3.

The CNC 5 weighs more than 20,000 pounds and required removal of one of the windows facing Cherry Street and two cranes in order to move into the building and to its final spot in the Showcase/Prototyping Lab.

Continue reading at WMU…

CORP! MAGAZINE: 13 Graduate from Autocam Medical’s CNC Machinist Apprentice Program

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Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, announced today that 13 adult students have graduated from their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program.

Continue reading at CORP! Magazine…

RUTHERFORD SOURCE: Rutherford Works to Host County Job Fair

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Rutherford Works, in partnership with the American Job Center, is hosting a county-wide job fair featuring high-growth, high-wage jobs at Embassy Suites in Murfreesboro on August 29, 2019. Registration is open for employers and booth space is free! They are able to accommodate 120 employers and currently have over 75 employers registered aiming to fill around 2500 open positions within our county. Current event sponsors include Ingram Content Group, Embassy Suites, National Healthcare Corporation, Autocam Medical and TEAM Electric. For additional employer registration details, visit  https://bit.ly/rucohiringexp.

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GRBJ: Manufacturer dials into workforce training

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If you want something done right, do it yourself — such is the philosophy on display at Autocam Medical when it comes to creating a skilled workforce.

The Kentwood-based contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices has for the past several years participated in a CNC Machinist Apprentice Program in which it sends entry-level or other workers to Grand Rapids Community College to receive classroom instruction and training in computer numerical control (CNC) machining.

The year-round program covers the education required by the state of Michigan to receive a certified journeyman card in CNC machining. Students must complete 728 hours of classroom instruction in 91 weeks. They maintain a full work schedule while training over a two-year period. Upon completion of the program, they earn 27 college credits, which puts them on the path to receive an associate degree.

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MURFREESBORO.COM: Autocam Medical hiring for Murfreesboro location

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Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, announced that they are looking for a full-time CNC machinist to work the night shift in their Murfreesboro location.

Applicants must be capable of setting up and operating single and/or multiple spindle machines as well as monitoring and controlling the quality of machining practices by utilizing process control tools. They must also be proficient in maintaining production processes and working within the expected quality standards and efficiencies that are established for the line. CNC experience is required.

Autocam Medical offers a clean work environment and a generous compensation package including full health insurance and quarterly incentives. The company also provides a shift pay differential for this position that increases the employee’s hourly base wage by 10 percent.

Continue reading at Murfreesboro.com…

FABRICATING & METAL WORKING: New Machinists Enter the Workforce

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Contract manufacturer Autocam Medical (Kentwood, MI) announced that 13 adult students graduated from their CNC Machinist Apprentice Program. The apprentices were awarded certificates of completion in a graduation ceremony held on June 12 at Western Michigan University’s AMP Lab in downtown Grand Rapids. This program covers the necessary schooling required by the State of Michigan to receive a certified Journeyman card. Six of the graduates also received their Journeyman card upon program completion and the other seven graduates are working to complete the necessary hour requirements.

The year-round program requires graduates to complete 728 hours of classroom instruction and 91 weeks to complete. Students maintain a full work-schedule while training over a two-year period. Completion of the program puts them on the path to receive an associate’s degree, earning 27 college credits. The company runs two classes at a time and they are looking to hire another class for 2020. The 2019 graduating class includes Joshua Bos, Kevin Bultman, Nicholas Calhoun, Jacob Estrada, Mitchell Ferguson, Phillip Kasper, Scott Kok, Daniel Martinez, Benjamin Page, Jean Reynoso-Rodriguez, Jerrittia Roseburgh, Taylor Sluiter, and Alexander Stenberg.

Continue reading at Fabricating & Metal Working…

MLIVE: 40 employers join Thursday hiring event tied to racial equity initiative

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Nearly 40 companies will be at Innovation Central High School Thursday, May 9, for a hiring event, organized by the Grand Rapids Racial Equity Initiative.

Officials say the goal is for companies to hire some people on the spot for a variety of full- and part-time jobs as well as summer jobs and paid internships.

Innovation Central is in the Grand Rapids School District and located at 421 Fountain St. NE. The event is targeting two groups:

  • High school juniors and seniors from Innovation Central are invited to meet with potential employers from 1 to 3 p.m.
  • Student families and community residents are invited from 4 to 7 p.m.

Continue reading at mLIVE…

WICKED LOCAL: Plymouth’s Autocam Medical to hold job fair

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Autocam Medical, a global contract manufacturer of precision surgical and medical components and devices, will hold a job fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at its Plymouth location at 24 Aldrin Road.

Same day offers will be made to qualified computer numeric controlled machinists, CNC programmers, senior quality inspectors and polishing/deburring.

More in-depth information regarding these positions and others throughout all of Autocam Medical’s locations may be found at https://www.irecruit-us.com/index.php?OrgID=I20150810&pg=listAuto.

Interested applicants may also view additional information about the job fair at https://trk.emagnify.com/q/119A4KzcnljT/wv.

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GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY: Autocam Medical president will speak at commencement

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More than 1,150 students will participate in Grand Valley’s fall semester commencement ceremony, set for Saturday, December 8, at 10 a.m. at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.

John C. Kennedy, member of Grand Valley’s Board of Trustees, will give the commencement address. Kennedy, president and CEO of Autocam Medical, will end his second term as a trustee at the end of December.

An active community member, Kennedy serves as a board member for Grand Rapids University Preparatory Academy, Lacks Enterprises, Shape Corporation, Van Andel Institute, Acton Institute, West Michigan Policy Forum, and the Right Place. He is an advisory board member of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies.

State Sen. Arlan B. Meekhof and Raleigh J. Finkelstein will receive honorary degrees.

Meekhof (R-West Olive) was first elected to serve the 30th Senate District in 2010. He was chosen by his Republican colleagues to serve as majority floor leader for the 2011-2014 term, and was elected as Senate Majority Leader for his second term. He serves as chair of the Government Operations committee and the Michigan Capitol committee.

Finkelstein was the lead donor for the initial building in Grand Valley’s expanding Health Campus and the building was named in his honor. He worked with his brothers to grow their parents’ business into what was MC Sporting Goods. After selling the retail chain, the brothers maintain an active real estate business.

The ceremony will be webcast live at gvsu.edu/commencement.

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Autocam Medical partners with Western Michigan University (WMU) and others to address talent shortage and create a state-of-the-art manufacturing incubator

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With the new AMP Lab @WMU that’s set to open this fall, Western Michigan University wants to leverage public- and private-sector partnerships to help local manufacturers innovate and access talent.

WMU is investing $3 million to convert the bottom two floors of its building at 200 Ionia Ave. SW in downtown Grand Rapids into a state-of-the-art manufacturing incubator. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Laboratory will test new technologies and also develop aspiring engineers, designers and other skilled workers who remain in high demand among the region’s employer base.

By combining prototyping, professional workshops, training, K-12 outreach, small-scale manufacturing and advanced education opportunities in one space, and by partnering with a range of companies and higher education institutions, WMU wants to position the program at the forefront to solve key challenges for industry.

Continue reading at MiBiz…

PRODUCTION MACHINING: Autocam Medical Receives a Massachusetts Manufacturer of the Year Award

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Autocam Medical’s Plymouth, Massachusetts division has been named a Manufacturer of the Year by the Commonwealth’s Manufacturing Caucus. The company was nominated by State Representative Matt Muratore of the First Plymouth District and received the award at the 2nd Annual Manufacturing Awards ceremony on Oct. 24th at the State House Grand Staircase with the keynote address given by Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

The award was established to highlight and honor successful manufacturers that represent innovative and revolutionary manufacturing capabilities and products. The company employs 102 people at its Plymouth facility and produces high precision implants and instruments for orthopedics and spine, as well as precision machined components for other surgical and diagnostic applications.

“We are honored, humbled and gratified by this award,” says John Kennedy, president and CEO. “The credit clearly goes to our team members in Plymouth who have consistently met the demands of constant technology change and taken our facility to the highest levels of quality and efficiency in the products we manufacture there.” Mr. Kennedy also points out that the location has recently been recertified to ISO 13485 standards, the comprehensive quality management systems for the design and manufacture of medical devices.

Continue reading at Production Machining…