One of the best parts of my job is traveling around the country meeting members and learning about their businesses. In conferences, committee meetings, workshops and receptions, there are plenty of opportunities to engage; but I find my best discussions take place when I take AMT to the members.

Additive manufacturing will be among the transformative technologies on display at an innovative manufacturing event.

Recent years have been good for the European economy. Most all the markets of the EU’s 28 members have steadied and demonstrated some solid growth. A few of the markets in Central Europe have been particularly strong. Romania is experiencing the fastest growth in the EU at an impressive five percent and is closely followed by Poland, Czechia, and Hungary. These countries boast low unemployment and continued investment, most notably from Germany (world’s 4th largest economy). Germany, has been experiencing quite strong domestic growth and has also been investing heavily in France, which has an appealing industrial base known to embrace innovation. France continues to attract foreign investment projects at unprecedented levels reaching a 10-year high in 2018.

While the February topic in our 2019 Manufacturing Tech Council webinar series is “Advanced Sensors,” I want to give you some early reading on our focus area for March – Hybrid Manufacturing.

Over the past 50 years, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has attracted both business leaders and “outside-the-box” thinkers. CES is the global stage and proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies in the upcoming consumer technologies market. As an industry analyst at AMT, I get to see and hear about new advancements in the manufacturing technology industry, so I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to attend CES and explore the robotics and 3D printing industry.