Off-shoring as a business reality in manufacturing global competitiveness sets the theme for the Westec 2005 exposition and conference being held on April 4-7, 2005 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, in Los Angeles. To remain competitive, manufacturers must embrace ingenuity and rely on their strengths in innovation and technology. Westec 2005 will show manufacturers how to successfully meet customer requirements for reduced cost and increased quality in the world market.

Westec, as one of the 200 largest tradeshows in North America, attracts domestic and international manufacturers annually. The Westec show floor becomes a virtual factory with more than 1000 companies demonstrating over 7 million pounds of machinery that manufacture parts and products for hundreds of industries. Exhibitors include leading equipment and tooling manufacturers, regional distributors and services from 150 categories representing 2,500 international product lines. The Westec 2005 event is expected to draw 20,000 attendees who will be provided with opportunities to generate new ideas, contacts and new ways of applying technology and doing business.

Says Gary Mikola, SME director of Expositions, “We need to be more involved and smarter about how we do business, and we need to look for new opportunities in new and evolving markets. Machine tool consumption reports are showing increased buying activity. Our recent study with pre-registered Westec attendees to gauge buying intentions reported that 65 percent have increased equipment budgets and 76 percent have said their business has increased. We think manufacturers are ready to buy new capital equipment and they'll find solutions to their equipment needs at Westec.”
 

Emerging technologies will be reflected in the hundreds of new product introductions. Companies will demonstrate product lines including: Machining centers, milling and boring machines, cutting tools and accessories, controls—CAD/CAM software, automated manufacturing and assembly, advanced materials, lean manufacturing, micro manufacturing, and others.

Event Keynotes

Monday, April 4, 2005: 8 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.—Professional Development Conference (PDC)

“The Fundamentals of Leadership: A Personal Journey,” presented by Colonel John A. Daniels, Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA).

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 - 8 a.m. - 9 a.m.—
Opening Keynote: Barry Sedlik, Undersecretary & Senior Advisor for Economic Development, State of California, Sacramento.

The Westec Conference

Entitled New Technology and Innovative Applications, this 3nd annual event will cover leading technologies, strategies relating to advanced materials and composites; automation and assembly; lean enterprise; quality; machining and tooling; emerging technologies; information technology and more. The conference will answer such questions as how to: meet your customer demands for high quality and lower costs; compete effectively in a global marketplace; successfully adopt new technology; manage your supply chain; keep your best people.

The Westec 2005 Conference also offers visitors opportunities to connect with experts, learn new implementations on new technologies and hear about what future technologies are on the horizon.

The Pavilions

Aerospace & Defense Technology Pavilion: (focusing on Composites & Advanced Materials, Design & Engineering and Lean Enterprise & Quality). More than 50% of Westec attendees serve the Aerospace and Defense industries. As a result, this pavilion is a natural extension of the show floor, and it will also integrate the technologies focused on at the Westec Conference.

Job Shop and Outsourcing Pavilion: if you're looking for contract manufacturing solutions for specialized components and other manufacturing, this pavilion will put you in touch with the top job shops in California and other Western states.

Software & IT Pavilion: a showcase of design, manufacturing and cost estimating software to meet today's manufacturing needs, this pavilion gives you hands-on access to the software tools you need to increase efficiency and quality and for rapid prototyping.

The Westec Monster Garage

Eight incredible vehicles from the Discovery Channel hit, Monster Garage, built by Monster Garage hero Jesse James and his crew, will transform the lower level of the Kentia Hall during Westec 2005. Vehicles will be placed throughout the show floor and a Monster Garage Trivia Contest will award cool Monster Garage gear to attendees hourly.

Technology Theater

Westec exhibitors daily will deliver free 30-minute presentations on advanced applications and technologies.

Daily Show Times: 10 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:15 p.m., 1 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:25 p.m.

New Product Showcase

New and exciting manufacturing technologies and applications will be displayed all in one location. Exhibitor displays will include tooling, work-holding, small parts, machinery, equipment and large accessories.

EXPOtential Connection Lounge

EXPOtential is a Web-based tool enabling manufacturers to develop peer connections, establish buyer-seller relationships, explore partnerships, and plan meetings prior to Westec. Event participants receive their own personalized Web portal which matches them with other event participants based upon their interests. It delivers personalized recommendations regarding the markets, technologies, products, companies, and people at the event that are a 'must see' for them. EXPOtential is a free, secure, personalized tool which increases networking opportunities, and connects interested buyers with sellers of relevant products and services. EXPOtential, powered by BD Metrics, is based on revolutionary Business Relationship Optimization Technology. It is available only to registered Westec
attendees. For more information, log onto the SME website at http://www.sme.org/exposales.

Three Youth Programs

In the next few years, 77.5 million baby boomers, born between 1946 and 1964, will leave the workforce, but only 46 million representing Generation X will come into the workforce, producing a gap of over 30 million. This gap will leave the United States with a severe shortage of men and women to run plants and offices. In a continuing effort to change the perception of manufacturing, Westec will again offer three effective student events.

19TH Annual Manufacturing Challenge

Monday, April 4, 2005 - 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.—The Manufacturing Challenge is a creative engineering competition where college students engineer and manufacture products for judging by manufacturing professionals. The Manufacturing Challenge Award Ceremony will be held on Monday, April 4, 2005 - 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. The final registration deadline for this competition is February 1, 2005.
2004 Educator Summit

Tuesday, April 5, 2005 - 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.—The Educator Summit is a program inviting select high school teachers, counselors, career advisors and administrators who visit Westec to learn about the potential for careers in manufacturing and manufacturing-related education.

Student Summit & VIP Student Tour

Wednesday, April 6, 2005 - 8 a.m. - Noon—SME, in partnership with the Century Club, the Small Manufacturers Institute (SMI), and the Coalition for Manufacturing Careers (CMC), will host 600 high school students for a tour of Westec and a program on manufacturing careers. Goal of the summit and tour is to improve the image of modern manufacturing as a career field in the eyes of Southern California high school students, their parents and school counselors.

In addition to the Westec tour, other activities include demonstrations, displays and interactions with industry and education representatives; and discussions to explore manufacturing technology, education opportunities, and career information.

Last year 19,978 people attended Westec with nearly half bringing budgets of more than $50,000 to spend. This year 20,000 are expected to attend. A survey says 34% of buyers report having budgets of $250,000 or more, a sign of an improving economy. n
Westec 2005 Show Hours

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