The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County announced that it has formed a Manufacturing Task Force to support and promote an economic ecosystem that will help the manufacturing sector flourish in Palm Beach County.
The task force will promote the growth and economic well-being of the county’s manufacturing industry by acting as a unified force and by representing common interests regarding strategies to improve competitiveness.
Co-chairing the new BDB Manufacturing Task Force are Lauren Spector, CEO, Quantachrome, Inc. and attorney Patricia Lebow, founder and managing partner of Broad and Cassel’s West Palm Beach office.
The task force includes delegates from employers representing different segments of manufacturing, community colleges, universities, high schools, and Workforce Alliance.
“We want to identify and address the challenges the manufacturing sector faces, and connect you with the resources needed like HR support for manufacturing companies to address those challenges,” said Spector during her address to the participants that attended the first task force meeting Oct. 12.
“Palm Beach County companies are contributing to the comeback of the U.S. manufacturing sector in recent years,” said Kelly Smallridge, BDB CEO and President. “Our diverse manufacturing cluster includes sophisticated aviation and marine components, biomedical devices, pharmaceuticals, information technology (IT) hardware and software, printing and construction products.”
Smallridge noted that the BDB’s research has identified more than 150 manufacturing companies in Palm Beach County. “These are primarily smaller businesses that operate under the radar,” she said. “One of our key goals is to connect them with the right resources, such as workforce training, to help them grow. We also want to showcase the wide variety of products that are made in Palm Beach County, building awareness of the contributions of our manufacturing sector.”
The BDB is planning a quarterly luncheon to showcase the manufacturing sector on November 15 at the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County is the official public/private economic development organization for Palm Beach County and Enterprise Florida. Founded in 1982 as a not-for-profit corporation, its primary purpose is to attract and retain new industry, business investment, high quality jobs and workforce development through corporate relocations, expansions and international trade.