AHFA Summit to Explore Manufacturing Issues
May 12, 2009The American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) will host its annual Manufacturing Summit on June 5 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C., featuring a speaker lineup of academics, industry analysts, retailers and manufacturers exploring factors affecting the future of furniture production.
Steve Taylor, director of business outreach for Mississippi State University's College of Business management professor and director of the Technology Resource Institute at Mississippi State, will discuss why U.S. manufacturing has a future, and how it must be "small, smart and agile" to survive.
Mann, Armistead & Epperson Managing Director Jerry Epperson's "Big Picture" presentation will set the stage for attendees to explore key issues impacting the future of domestic furniture manufacturing.
Art Raymond, A.G. Raymond & Company, will challenge executives to imagine "The Furniture Factory of the Future." As a manufacturing consultant to the furniture, cabinet and millwork industries, Raymond has helped domestic companies solve management and technical problems in their manufacturing processes in order to remain competitive.
Veronica Londono, vice president of operations at American Leather, will address the real-world challenges of domestic manufacturing. Her company's business model assures customers a quality product in less than four weeks, making the quest for excellence a daily concern.
Eric Lail, director of lean solutions for Total Insight of Hickory, N.C., will present "Tough Times Require Value Stream Solutions," offering attendees concrete examples of companies that have improved productivity, reduced lead times, increased inventory turns, reduced accidents and reduced quality complaints.
In addition, a panel of retailers will include Keith Koenig, president and owner of City Furniture, one of Florida’s fastest growing companies; and Marc Schewel, president of the 50-store Schewel Furniture company, which celebrated its 110th anniversary in 2007. The will share how they make their buying decisions when choosing between products produced domestically and those made overseas.
The Summit will be preceded by the Suppliers Division Annual Golf Tournament at Grandover, beginning at noon on Thursday, June 4. A cocktail reception and awards ceremony at 6 p.m. that evening will conclude the golf tournament and also serve as the opening event for the Manufacturing Summit.
Registration for the Summit is $500 per person ($99 for AHFA member company executives), which includes the June 4 reception, as well as breakfast and lunch on June 5. An online registration form is available here under "events". Hotel reservations should be made directly with the Grandover by calling (800) 472-6301 or (336) 294-1800 or online here.
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