Women in Manufacturing

By: Alyssa Rumsey - Project Manager, Georgia Center of Innovation for Manufacturing

Journeying to Savannah with the Center of Innovation for Manufacturing, I participated in the 2019 Women in Manufacturing (WiM) Savannah Shines event. This is the second time the WiM Georgia Chapter has held this two-day event as a way to highlight the expansive presence of manufacturing in Chatham County. 

This year the group ventured to AGCO's new assembly facility in Pooler, Georgia to discuss innovations like co-bots and augmented reality on the shop floor. Partnering with the Georgia Association of Manufacturers, the afternoon was spent touring Nine Line apparel. As Savannah locals, the owners and operators of Nine Line pay particular attention to detail and quality and are committed to giving back to the community and veterans. The Nine Line brand pays homage to patriotism and has grown into a multi-million dollar business in just four short years.

It wouldn't be a trip to Savannah without experiencing the myths and history of historic downtown. For a networking opportunity, the WiM group took a haunted ghost tour and dined at the Pirates House, one of the oldest buildings in Savannah.  
The final day began with a morning tour of Daniel Defense learning about the immense amount of safety and precision that goes into producing top of the line firearms for both personal and government use. Daniel Defense is represented in all continents except for Antarctica. 

The Georgia Port Authority plays a significant role for manufacturers in Savannah and across the nation to be able to import and export products. To understand how impactful the Port of Savannah is on the region and country we toured the Georgia Port Authority and learned about the expansion plans that will put the Port in the running for the #1 busiest port the world. Currently, it is ranked as the 3rd busiest port in the world.

In just two days, the Women in Manufacturing group saw many different types of manufacturing both products and processes. By sharing best practices and gaining exposure to other types of manufacturing, participants can become more competitive and grow their network and business alliances.