Maryland Manufacturers Celebrated on October 1 at Maryland MEP 'Gears on the Gridiron Event'

Nearly 42,000 people experienced Made in Maryland products and the importance of manufacturing in the state as Maryland MEP kicked off Manufacturing Month by hosting ‘Gears on the Gridiron,’ a family-friendly celebration of Maryland manufacturing, on Saturday, October 1, 2016, at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium.

More than 500 local manufacturers, advocates of the Maryland manufacturing industry, their families and friends gathered from across the state and region for ‘Gears on the Gridiron’, which began with a tailgate featuring interactive displays and exhibits prior to the University of Maryland football team’s victorious 2016 Homecoming game against Purdue University. Later, Maryland manufacturing was recognized on the field before and during the game in front of 41,206 fans, making ‘Gears on the Gridiron’ one of the largest Manufacturing Day celebrations in the country.

“Thank you to everyone who came out on Saturday to our Gears on the Gridiron event to celebrate Maryland manufacturing! Our team was so grateful to be able to host such a successful event and kick off Manufacturing Month in Maryland,” said Brian Sweeney, Executive Director, Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership. “Saturday’s events were held to put a spotlight on the incredible work and impact Maryland manufacturers are making every day for the local communities, as well as to help enlighten our community and inspire the next generation of leaders in Maryland’s manufacturing industry.”

During Saturday’s event, guests networked with their peers, enjoyed food and beverage, and enjoyed interactive displays and exhibits set up by Maryland manufacturers, along with their family and friends. Interactive displays and exhibits in the Make it in Maryland Red Zone showcased products and undertakings of manufacturers and advocates of manufacturing in Maryland including Holmatro, Sagamore Spirit, Under Armour, Allogram, Gross, Mendelsohn & Associates, Xometry, InSource Solutions, MKS&H, Terps Racing Team, UMD Engineering Information Technology, NIST Rapidly Manufactured Robot League, Baltimore County Public Schools, Maritime Applied Physics Corporation, Fraunhofer Institute, and Saft America. Inside the stadium prior to the start of the Terrapins’ football game, the state’s manufacturing community was recognized for its contribution to the community.

Gears on the Gridiron, hosted in partnership with the University of Maryland, the Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI) of Maryland, Maryland Department of Commerce and StartUp Maryland, was held to show support and appreciation for Maryland-based manufacturing companies and their employees, as well as to inspire and encourage Maryland youth to pursue exciting career opportunities in the manufacturing industry. The tailgate event also served as a kickoff for National Manufacturing Month, a month-long celebration of manufacturing, bringing awareness to and inspiring the next generation of manufacturers.

Special guests joined the Maryland MEP team throughout the event to show their support for manufacturing in the State of Maryland and to help inspire the next generation of industry leaders in the state, opening their eyes to the many exciting career opportunities in the manufacturing industry. Guests included: Mike Galiazzo – President, Regional Manufacturing Institute (RMI); members of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s administration and staff; representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Institute of Standard’s and Technology; and, several Maryland state and federal officials.

Many local businesses were in attendance at the event and showed their support for Maryland MEP and their continued efforts to spread the word about the great work of Maryland manufactures and their employees. Corporate and manufacturing sponsors of the Maryland Manufacturing Day at the Bank include: Allogram; Baltimore County Public Schools; Blue Crab Crossfit; CliftonLarsonAllen; CHUTES International; CRB; Green Bay Packaging Inc.; Gross Mendelsohn CPAs and Advisors; Holmatro; Hub Labels; ICAT Logistics Inc.; InSource Solutions; Maroon PR; MKS&H CPAs and Business Consultants; National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Nightmare Graphics, Inc.; North American Millwright; Sagamore Spirit; Severn Graphics; Suntrust; Tata Global Beverages; TENAX; Terps Racing; Tulkoff Food Products; Under Armour; University of Maryland; Xometry; and, Yumkas, Vidmar, Sweeney & Mulrenin, LLC.

Those interested in learning more about Maryland MEP and its future upcoming events can visit www.mdmep.org.

About Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MD MEP): MD MEP works with partners throughout the state including the Regional Manufacturing Institute of Maryland (RMI) and others focused on growing manufacturing in the State of Maryland by providing resources and services to manufacturers statewide. Through collaborative efforts and strategic partnerships, MD MEP helps Maryland manufacturers expand their business, educate their workforce and create mutually beneficial connections with other Maryland businesses. For more information, please visit www.mdmep.org.

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