The Applied Science & Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) joined current and potential AM Forward partners in New York City yesterday, at the 2022 SBIA Northeast Private Equity Conference. At the conference, ASTRO CEO Neal Orringer and Executive Director Jason Gorey led a discussion on AM Forward titled, “Leveraging the AM Forward Initiative: Middle Market Advanced Manufacturing Investment Opportunities.” The panel featured two sections, one providing the perspective of large corporations that have a strong demand for additive products, and another providing the perspective of middle markets where there is a strong desire to fulfill that demand.
SBIA’s Northeast Private Equity Conference is an annual event drawing more than 200 senior investment professionals. This year’s agenda included experienced industry professionals and key small business policymakers, including Associate Administrator Bailey DeVries from the Small Business Administration’s Office of Investment and Innovation, and New York Congresswoman and House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez.
“Since launching AM Forward, ASTRO has been working to help partner companies support their suppliers’ adoption of additive manufacturing in shops, plants, and factories across the nation – but access to capital is key,” said Neal Orringer, CEO of ASTRO America. “We are grateful to SBIA for the opportunity to talk about AM Forward and the investment opportunities that exist. We believe the right people were in the room and that investing in AM for U.S. small businesses is a win-win.”
AM Forward is a new initiative being implemented by ASTRO America to transform the nation’s supply chains. It is a voluntary, public-private compact to broaden adoption of additive technology, also known as 3d printing technology, among smaller U.S. manufacturers. The program is designed to improve the competitiveness of America’s manufacturers, create and sustain manufacturing jobs, and improve supply chain resilience.
Through AM Forward, large manufacturers and the government will work together to help small and medium sized suppliers access capital for AM equipment, undertake extensive workforce training, and accelerate processes for qualifying new production methods such as AM. Initial participants include GE Aviation, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon Technologies, and Siemens Energy.
“Small businesses drive the American economy and make up a great deal of the manufacturing industry,” said Jason Gorey, Executive Director of ASTRO America. “There is a real opportunity to leverage these businesses through AM Forward; to make these key players more productive and resilient while lowering costs. This can transform critical supply chains in areas like defense, strengthening U.S. technological leadership, the economy, and national security. It is a very real opportunity and it is very exciting.”
Participants on SBIA’s AM Forward panel included:
Middle Market Panel:
Neal Orringer, ASTRO America, Session Moderator
Jonathan Cohen, MIMO Technik
Brian Haggenmiller, Sintavia
Alan Pearce, Fastech LLC
Brandon Soule, PrinterPrezz Inc.
Joanna Zeleya, Chicago Precision
Large Corporations Panel:
Jason Gorey, ASTRO America, Session Moderator
Tom Kennard, O’Neal Industries
Brian Rosenberger, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Anna Tomzynska, Boeing
For more information on AM Forward, visit www.amforward.org or contact info@amforward.org.