Iredell EDC’s Existing Industry Manager, Todd Black, Attends MFGCON 2025
Todd Black, Iredell EDC’s Existing Industry Manager, attended the NC Manufacturing Conference (MFGCON) in Winston Salem, April 29-30. Hosted by the North Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NCMEP) and Business North Carolina, MGFCON convenes industry leaders, experts, and innovators to discuss the future of manufacturing in North Carolina. MFGCON2025 featured insightful keynotes, engaging breakout sessions, and prestigious awards, providing significant insights for anyone involved in the manufacturing sector.
Representatives of NCMEP and Business NC set the stage for a series of thought-provoking discussions with their opening remarks while Jim Reichard from Bank of America delivered an economic outlook keynote, including key insights into the current and future economic landscape.
Day 1 breakout sessions delved into critical topics such as workforce strategies, operational growth through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), and federal export financing support. These sessions offered practical advice and strategies for manufacturers looking to enhance their operations and expand their reach.
The evening was dedicated to celebrating excellence in manufacturing with the NC Manufacturing Leadership Awards. Seven outstanding manufacturers were honored for their achievements in innovation, workforce development, sustainability, and leadership. These Awards clearly highlighted the incredible talent and dedication within the industry.
A dynamic panel discussion on the role of AI in manufacturing kicked off Day 2. Industry leaders shared their experiences and insights on AI integration, cybersecurity, employee retention, and succession planning as well as the importance of community partnerships and engineering internships. This panel underscored the transformative potential of AI and the need for strategic planning to harness its benefits.
Lindsey Crisp of Carver Machine Works concluded the conference with an impassioned keynote on building lasting employee engagement.
The most outstanding aspect of the event was perhaps the data about North Carolina’s manufacturing sector shared during the conference, including:
• 11,496 manufacturing firms in North Carolina (2024 data, BLS).
• NC is 8th in the nation for manufacturing contribution to the national GDP (2023 data, BEA).
• NC contributes 3.7% of total US manufacturing output (2023 data, BEA).
• NC leads the Southeast in manufacturing (2023 data, BEA).
• Manufacturing is the second-largest contributor to the state’s GDP at 15% (2023 data, BEA).
• Manufacturing employs 467,325 workers with an average hourly rate of $35.00 (2024 data, BLS).
• Fabricated metal production has the highest number of establishments (1,649), while food manufacturing employs the most workers (62,163), followed by chemical production (47,415) (2024 data, BLS).
• 90% of manufacturing companies in North Carolina have fewer than 100 employees, emphasizing the importance of small manufacturers (2024 data, BLS).
“I consider MFGCON 2025 a great success,” Todd Black shares. “In addition to the extensive knowledge and networking opportunities it provides, it continues to fuel my fire to help drive manufacturing forward in Iredell County. Overall, MFGCON showcases the strength and potential of North Carolina’s manufacturing sector, reaffirming its position as a leader in innovation and growth.”
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