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'It gives companies an opportunity to grow': How new technology can help manufacturers in our neighborhoods

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  • The manufacturing world is constantly evolving with new technology.
  • Friday, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center held a showcase at Michigan State University, highlighting some of the technology that can help companies in our neighborhoods find success.
  • Video shows an employee of one of the participating companies discussing how the technology can impact local companies.

(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)

I'm your East Lansing Neighborhood Reporter Colin Jankowski. Friday, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center held a showcase at MSU, detailing technologies that can help manufacturers in our neighborhoods.

"Michigan has a long history of manufacturing," Russ Zarras said.

Russ Zarras, a longtime East Lansing resident and MSU grad, is the Lead Business Developer for Fraunhofer USA, one of the participating companies at Friday's event. He says in an ever-changing world of manufacturing, Friday's showcase can help smaller manufacturers in our neighborhoods be successful as the industry evolves.

"There's a revolution happening around the world in manufacturing," Zarras said. "To adopt more technologies, to look at more digitization and automation. Events like today help companies, especially small and medium size ones, understand what they need to be looking at, who they need to partner with and ultimately the steps they need to take in order to be successful."

And while new technology can bring fears of job cuts, Zarras says the key is adapting the workforce. Not replacing it.

"It gives companies an opportunity to grow," he said. "There's a common misconception that things like robots replace people. It's really about embracing these challenges, but not replacing the people."

Zarras tells me Michigan has an extremely qualified manufacturing workforce, and tech companies want to keep that workforce and continue to grow it.

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