SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- California Manufacturing Technology Consulting® (CMTC) and The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (MANEX) announced today that Acting Director Malcolm Dougherty, from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) will join the Honorable Ray LaHood, U.S. Transportation Secretary to attend a special complimentary one-day forum to connect rail industry OEMs with U.S. suppliers in the manufacturing sector. The attendance of Acting Director Dougherty is a very strong indication that this event supports the future of the rail industry and its vital importance at the state level as well as at the national level. As Acting Director of Caltrans, Mr. Dougherty is responsible for a budget of $13 billion and provides leadership to over 20,000 employees in California.

The “Next Generation Supply Chain Connectivity Forum” will be held on February 8, 2012 at the Woodlake Hotel (formerly the Radisson) in Sacramento, CA. Currently, over 200 attendees have registered representing 105 manufacturers along with 22 OEMs, federal and state staff, banking organizations, consulting organizations and economic development groups. Various speakers from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Federal Railroad Administration will also participate in the event to bring together rail sector manufacturers/suppliers with key OEMs. The OEMs attending include: Alstom, Bombardier, ElectroMotive Diesels, GE, Nipon-Sharyo, Siemens, Talgo and Wabtec. Panel Discussions for both traditional and potential new suppliers will take place followed by one-on-one meetings between OEMs and suppliers.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded two grants to Caltrans for a total of $168M (matched by $42M in State funds) for the purchase of 42 passenger cars and 6 locomotives. The new bi-level railcars will incorporate numerous design improvements and innovations, making the States’ rail passenger service safer, more reliable, efficient, cost-effective and attractive to passengers. The Caltrans RFI can be accessed from CMTC’s website.

This Forum is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) to leverage existing agency capabilities to promote the development of a robust domestic supply-base to support intermodal transportation investment in the United States. This initiative is part of a broader opportunity of $782 million in grants that will pump new life into domestic manufacturing across the nation.

"Passenger rail is a critical component of a sustainable transportation system. It not only provides transportation options for our growing population, but it also improves air quality," said Acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. "If we are to meet tomorrow’s demands, we must pool our resources, increase efficiency, advance technology and build the railroad of the future."

CMTC and Manex are private, nonprofit organizations that are part of the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) and are affiliates under the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

ABOUT CMTC A private, nonprofit corporation established in 1992, CMTC is the Southern California affiliate of NIST MEP, under the Federal Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program, a network of more than 60 centers across the country that provides assistance to small, medium and large manufacturers. CMTC serves Fresno to San Diego/Imperial County. For more information, visit www.cmtc.com.

ABOUT MANEX Founded in 1995, The Corporation for Manufacturing Excellence (Manex) provides a broad array of proven advisory and implementation solutions exclusively to manufacturers, distributors and their supply chains, enabling them to increase growth, productivity, quality and profitability. Manex delivers high-impact solutions in four key areas: strategy, people, process and performance. Manex is the Northern California affiliate of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership. For more information, visit www.manexconsulting.com.

CONTACT:

California Manufacturing Technology Consulting
Ellen McKewen, 310-263-3018
emckewen@cmtc.com
www.cmtc.com

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  California

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Transport  Rail  Public Policy/Government  Other Policy Issues  Manufacturing  Public Policy  Logistics/Supply Chain Management  State/Local  White House/Federal Government  Other Manufacturing  Professional Services  Consulting

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