GM VP Discusses Trends of the Metal Fabrication Industry
15 November 1999
'Stamping in the Fast Lane' - GM VP Discusses Trends of the Metal Fabrication Industry; FABTECH International '99 Keynote, November 16, McCormick Place South
CHICAGO, Nov. 12 -- Joseph D. Spielman, vice president and
general manager, Metal Fabricating Division and Worldwide Facilities Group,
General Motors Corporation (GM), will present the keynote speech at FABTECH
International '99 on Tuesday, November 16 at 7:30 a.m. at the McCormick Place
South's Vista Ballroom A.
"It has been said that in the old days, if a part wasn't formed quite
right, you could just lean on it to make it fit. It was called, 'light thumb
pressure.' But that, too, is no more. Customers demand absolute vehicle
quality. The first thing you see when you walk up to a car is how the
sheetmetal looks. We're holding tolerances we didn't even dream about when I
started in the business," said Spielman in the September 1999 issue of
"Forming and Fabricating."
Representing the world's largest industrial corporation and full-line
vehicle manufacturer, Spielman will share how lessons learned by GM's metal
fabricating division can help suppliers. The speech, titled "Supplier Quality
and Common Systems," will also address improvements at GM's metal fabricating
division; effects of common processes and systems on the stamping industry;
insights into future trends within the industry; and the importance of
employee safety initiatives.
FABTECH Exposition and Conference Covers New Products and Developments
Serving as a one-stop-shopping arena for forming and fabricating
professionals, FABTECH International '99 opens November 14 and runs through
Thursday, November 18. Featuring 970 exhibiting companies occupying over
402,000 net square feet of floor space, the exposition is expected to draw an
attendance of 30,000. FABTECH International offers a broad spectrum of
forming and fabricating technologies that impact key manufacturing functions.
Demonstrations include the latest in bending/folding, coil processing,
controls and computer systems, cutting, finishing, lasers, material handling,
plate and structural fabricating, pressworking and stamping, punching,
robotics, roll forming, safety equipment, tube and pipe producing and
fabricating, and welding.
"FABTECH '99 presents an unprecedented opportunity for attendees to stay
on top of the latest trends in metal forming and fabricating," said John
Catalano, group show manager, Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). "With
a 200 percent increase in international exhibitors from FABTECH '97 -- the
most recent Chicago edition -- attendees can see more industry leaders from
around the globe than ever before."
"FABTECH provides substantial value to manufacturers by providing an
interactive and solutions-based forum to improve education and decision-
making," said Mark Hoper, director of expositions for Fabricators and
Manufacturers Association, Intl (FMA). "It is the premier event to learn
about current technology and equipment and make informed purchase decisions."
For the first time, FABTECH International will sponsor "Hiring and
Retaining the Best," an open seminar addressing two of the most pressing
issues in the industry today -- creative recruiting strategies for finding
qualified employees and motivating and retaining current employees.
Providing manufacturers with solutions to metal forming and fabricating
challenges, the FABTECH International Conference features 35 hands-on
technical sessions focusing on advanced procedures, operational improvements,
and management issues.
Expositions hours are: Sunday, Nov. 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Monday thru
Wednesday, Nov. 15-17, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Thursday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to
4 p.m.
For further information on the FABTECH Series of Expositions, please
contact SME's Customer Service by phone at 800-733-4763; by fax at
313-271-2861 or browse SME Home Page at http://www.sme.org . Or, contact FMA by
phone at 800-432-2832; by fax at 815-399-7279 or browse FMA's Web site at
http://www.fmametalfab.org
SME provides courses, programs and clinics along with numerous videos and
books designed to communicate the latest advances in forming and fabricating
and has been named one of the top ten show management companies by Tradeshow
Week Data Book, 1998. Headquartered in Dearborn, Mich., USA, SME is an
international professional society dedicated to serving its members and the
manufacturing community through the advancement of professionalism, knowledge,
and learning. Founded in 1932, SME has over 60,000 members in 70 countries.
The Society also sponsors some 295 chapters, districts and regions, as well as
275 student chapters worldwide.
FMA, headquartered in Rockford, Ill., USA, is a non-profit educational
organization dedicated exclusively to metal forming and fabricating
professionals. Founded in 1970, it is considered the world's largest
educational association for its industry, with thousands of members worldwide.
FMA provides in-depth technical information and educational opportunities
through conferences, award-winning magazines, extensive research services, and
co-sponsorship of the FABTECH International exposition series.