Mississippi Manufacturers Association

  RAYMOND - Governor Tate Reeves visited Hunter Engineering's Raymond plant. Hunter Engineering was named the Specialty Equipment Market Association Manufacturere of the Year for 2019. The Governor posted to social media after the event. He said " I was glad to be in Raymond to tour Hunter Engineering, who’s celebrating 75 years of manufacturing leadership. They’re proof that manufacturing can thrive on MS soil!"

WASHINGTON (Courtesy: U.S. Department of Labor)  – To combat the hazards associated with extreme heat exposure – both indoors and outdoors – t he White House announced enhanced and expanded efforts the U.S. Department of Labor is taking to address heat-related illnesses. As part of the  Biden-Harris administration’s interagency effort  and commitment to workplace safety, climate resilience, and environmental justice, the department’s  Occupational Safety and Health Administration  is initiating enhanced measures to protect workers better in hot environments and reduce the dangers of exposure to ambient heat. While heat illness is largely preventable, and commonly under-reported, thousands of workers are sickened each year by workplace heat exposure. Despite widespread under-reporting, 43  workers died  from heat illness in 2019, and at least 2,410 others suffered serious injuries and illnesses. Increasing heat precipitated by climate change can cause lost productivity and work hours re

*photo courtesy: Accelerate Mississppi JACKSON (Courtesy: Accelerate Mississippi) - Accelerate Mississippi, the lead office for workforce development strategy and coordination, awarded Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC) with $941,701 to double the capacity of its Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technology program from 20 to 40 students each year. “To maximize economic prospects for Mississippians, we must prioritize and coordinate workforce training opportunities,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “My administration and Accelerate Mississippi are refocusing the state’s resources towards higher impact workforce initiatives, and I’m grateful that Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College has stepped up and committed to training more Mississippians for a thriving career in our state.” Accelerate Mississippi recently identified the need for diesel technicians as a high priority for the state as a whole and invited the state’s community colleges to look for solutions to close the demand

  MMA President & CEO John McKay was a guest speaker at a Cleveland-Bolivar County Chamber of Commerce event Monday night. In his speech, McKay gave an overview of the state of manufacturing. He discussed how an essential component to our recovery from COVID is how manufacturers never stopped production of critical supplies, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), testing supplies, household goods (cleaners, toilet patper, etc.), and most importantly, a safe an effective vaccine. He also highlighted the fact that many manufacturers in the furniture, lumber, wood, appliance, and heavy equipment industries are having record years. McKay mentioned that manufacturing remains one of the highest-paying industries in Mississippi, and it produces nearly a 3-times multiplier of economic impact on the communities in which they are located. However, he also acknowledged how not everything is positive. The manufacturing industry faces many challenges, especially with the workforce. Missis

  MMA President and CEO John McKay recently was a part of a podcast with Accelerate Mississippi Executive Director Ryan Miller. The two discuss the role of Accelerate MS, goals for the office, and how their organizations can partner to solve the workforce problems facing the state. To watch the interview, click the video above or this link to go to our YouTube page.

Manufacturers Push Back on Harmful Tax Increases The NAM is leading a campaign opposing the more than $2 trillion in proposed tax increases that are currently a part of the budget bill. By comparison, 2017 tax reform reduced taxes by a net amount of approximately $1.4 trillion. The impact on SMMs: Here are some of the provisions that could be included in a final bill: The corporate tax rate increases from 21% to 26.5% ($540 billion tax increase). Top individual income tax rate increases from 37% to 39.6% ($170 billion tax increase). The 20% pass-through deduction is essentially eliminated ($78 billion tax increase). A 3.8% Medicare surtax is applied to business income greater than $400,000 (single)/$500,000 (married) ($252 billion tax increase). New 3% surtax on individuals (including pass-throughs) with incomes greater than $5 million ($127 billion tax increase). Top capital gains tax rate increases from 20% to

WASHINGTON (Courtesy - National Associaton of Manufacturers) -  The NAM is pressing the Biden administration and Congress to tamp down more than $2 trillion in tax increases that are currently a part of the budget reconciliation bill. Why it matters:  The bill will impact manufacturers across the country, causing pain for corporations, international businesses, pass-throughs and family-owned businesses alike. Corporate:  The bill would increase the top corporate tax rate from 21% to 26.5%, while also making it more difficult to deduct interest on business loans. International:  The bill would make changes to a variety of provisions that impact manufacturers buying and selling materials and products overseas, raising $300 billion over the next decade by making two key international tax provisions (GILTI and BEAT) more onerous and reducing an existing benefit for U.S. intellectual property. Pass-throughs:  Manufacturers organized as pass-throughs would face a range of tax increases, lead

Washington, D.C. – Following President Biden’s speech on new measures to combat COVID-19, National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay Timmons released this statement: “Americans can be grateful to President Trump for ‘Operation Warp Speed’ that enabled the United States to develop the lifesaving vaccines against COVID-19 and to President Biden for his continued focus on getting Americans vaccinated. We share their steadfast focus, and manufacturers have led the way in promoting the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. They are safe and effective vaccines made for us, by people like us—manufacturers in America.   “We look forward to working with the administration to ensure any vaccine requirements are structured in a way that does not negatively impact the operations of manufacturers that have been leading through the pandemic to keep Americans safe. It is important that undue compliance costs do not burden manufacturers, large and small alike.   “Getting all eligibl

JACKSON (Courtesy: MDA)  – Summit Plastics, manufacturer of custom polyethylene film and bags, is expanding in Summit. The project is a $5.4 million corporate investment and will create 25 jobs.   Founded in 1994, Summit Plastics provides custom plastic film and sheet products for a blue-chip customer base. The company was purchased in 2015 and has since grown from 52 employees to more than 110. Production also has increased from 20 million pounds per year to 40 million pounds. Within the next four years, Summit Plastics’ goal is to reach 85 million pounds per year.   For the expansion, Summit Plastics will construct a 12,000-square-foot addition onto its 98,000-square-foot facility. The company also will add three blown film extrusion lines, with at least one being a multi-layer line.   The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for building construction. MDA also certified Summit Plastics for the Advantage Jobs Rebate program, which is available for eligible busi

JACKSON (Courtesy: MDA)  – Ocean Aero, manufacturer and service provider of ocean-going autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, is relocating its manufacturing operations and headquarters from San Diego to Gulfport. The project is a $4.65 million corporate investment and will create 45 jobs. Ocean Aero’s AUSVs are currently deployed by the U.S. Dept. of Defense, Dept. of Homeland Security, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, offshore energy companies and more. Ocean Aero’s AUSVs provide a unique capability to monitor the world’s oceans and critical offshore infrastructure. The company manufactures the world’s first and only environmentally powered AUSV, TRITON, which operates exclusively on wind and solar energy and performs long-endurance missions on the ocean’s surface with the ability to also perform underwater operations. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for equipment relocation and workforce training. Ocean Aero plans to fill the 4

JACKSON (Courtesy: MDA)   –  The winners of the  “Pitch in the V-Quad” competition  were announced recently in Ridgeland.   The Mississippi Development Authority event,  supported by the Energy Program for Innovation Clusters Prize from the U.S. Department of Energy, is an opportunity for Mississippi innovators to showcase potential advancements in energy and agriculture technology. “MDA congratulates the winners of these grants, and we look forward to the success of their projects,” said Dr. Sumesh Arora, Ph.D., director of MDA’s Energy and Natural Resources Division and V-Quad Team co-leader. “This next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs are an exciting look at the future of energy and agriculture technologies in Mississippi.”   MDA awarded a $7,500 grant to Magna Gold Oil of Meridian, whose pitch was focused on recycling roofing shingles. Magna Gold Oil has patented a process for recycling domestic asphalt waste roofing shingles (non-biodegradable) into a commercially useful

JACKSON - The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) enHance Environmental Stewardship program is seeking applicants for the 2022 class of environmental leaders in the state of Mississippi.  Interested manufacturers, local governments, institutions and other organizations are encouraged to apply for membership in the enHance program. enHance is a voluntary initiative to  recognize environmental leaders in  Mississippi.  Participating organizations make a commitment to  address and achieve on-going  environmental improvements. The application period is open now and will close on October 31, 2021.   More information on the program is available at the website:  enhance.ms , including a description of the requirements for qualification, the process to apply and access to online applications.  MDEQ is also encouraging existing members of the class of 2018 and 2019 to submit a renewal application for the enHance class of 2022.  The application to renew can also be found on t

*This article originally appeared in Industry Today. It was written by  Scott Sherman, QAD’s VP of Global Talent, in honor of  manufacturing labor during this Labor Day – the backbone of our industry who keep it moving. Here is a link to the article. While Labor Day started as a holiday for a limited number of workers in specific occupations, the day now honors all workers. It is especially significant to manufacturing workers who lobbied so hard on behalf of everyone who holds down a job. Manufacturing is the backbone of a strong economy , and it plays a major role in both the local and the national economy. According to the Manufacturing Institute, for every dollar spent on manufacturing salaries in a community,  another $2.79 enters the local economy  for supporting roles, making manufacturing the economic sector with the highest multiplier effect.  According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, about  12.3 million people were employed  by the manufacturing sector, making it the l

CANTON - The Mississippi State University CAVS Extension is offering multiple training courses that begin this month. 'Simulation Modeling and Analysis Using Flexsim' is a two-day course with three different sessions. The intent of the workshop is to provide the participants with the capability to use simulation to analyze and improve organizational performance. The workshop will be hands-on, practical, and project focused. Participants will learn how to use FlexSim, a state-of-the-art simulation modeling environment, to address problems in their organization. Classes are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The dates are below: Session 1 September 15-16, 2021 Session 2 October 13-14, 2021 Session 3 November 10, 2021 To register, click here . The other event is 'Facilitation and Teambuilding Workshop' , and the class is held September 14-15 or September 15-16. Class times are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. The workshop is designed to assist individuals and organizations to have a struc

JACKSON - Governor Reeves announced Tuesday that Laura Hipp is the interim director for the Mississippi Development Authority. Hipp was serving as chief marketing officer at MDA, a role in which she oversees marketing and communication for the organization. "My confidence in her to execute my vision will lead to economic growth & continue Mississippi’s momentum," Reeves said in his statement on social media. Hipp worked previously for Governor Reeves as his Director of Communications when he was Lieutenant Governor. Prior to that, she worked for 10 years as a reporter in Jackson and in Austin, TX. She has a masters of public policy and administration from Mississippi State University. Hipp also has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Texas Tech.