McHenry County manufacturer hosted area state lawmakers and conveyed challenges facing manufacturing in Illinois
Technology & Manufacturing Association member Novation Industries in McHenry County hosted state Sen. Craig Wilcox and state Rep. Steve Reick to share concerns manufacturers in Illinois are facing and what can be done to improve the industry.
Novation Industries employs over 80 skilled workers and specializes in custom manufacturing solutions and integrated development services. Sen. Wilcox and Rep. Reick met with company executives, toured the manufacturing facility, and met with employees. They discussed supply chain issues, workforce development, and the challenges Novation Industries and other manufacturers are facing and concerns they see coming in the future.
"The decision to invite government officials to Novation Industries was simple - the increased education and awareness from hosting a visit for Rep. Reick and Sen. Wilcox provided them with additional educational experience about the manufacturing process and its economic impacts," Novation Industries' President Scott Baxter said. "I believe this can lead to a better understanding of the challenges and needs of the plastics industry which can influence policy decisions."
Sen. Wilcox and Rep. Reick are both members of TMA's SaMM Caucus, a growing bipartisan group of state lawmakers that considers ideas that would help small and midsized manufacturers in Illinois.
TMA is connecting their manufacturing members with their local legislators to give members the chance to speak with their lawmakers and to offer lawmakers the chance to meet with their constituents.
"Rep. Reick made a comment that making stuff is fun and he's right," Lee Shawback, Novation Industries' Director of Manufacturing, said. "Manufacturing is a special tribe of people coming together every day from many different walks of life with the common goal of helping other people. The tribe uses everyone's special skills and abilities to take an idea and turn it into a reality. When you get to see the product that you had an influence in making being used by friends, family, and people all around the world, it's a special sense of pride manufacturing provides, and we got to show that to our local lawmakers."
TMA Executive Vice President Dennis LaComb concluded, "The more lawmakers visit small and midsized manufacturers, the more informed and aware they will be when representing us down in Springfield. No one can better tell a legislator how the laws they make affect manufacturers and their employees."
About TMA: Founded in 1925, the Technology and Manufacturing Association is an independent trade organization exclusively focused on assisting small and midsize manufacturers by providing a diverse portfolio of benefits and services, including: community, information, training, resources, and advocacy. TMA has nearly 1,000 members representing over 35,000 manufacturing employees and more than 25 million square feet of manufacturing plant.