Edited by Kevin Campbell

IMTS puts emerging technologies on display in Chicago

Storming into Chicago Sept. 8-13, the International Manufacturing Technology Show will inhabit all four halls of McCormick Place, occupying a whopping 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space. The 27th edition of the biennial tradeshow is expected to feature more than 1,500 companies exhibiting for attendees from more than 119 countries.

Corporate citizenship, community outreach at BMW Manufacturing

While innovation, new technologies and best practices are key components of a plant’s production, its community outreach contributes significantly to its public identity. Being a good corporate citizen is a big part of what makes a Top Plant, and BMW Manufacturing Company in upstate South Carolina accomplishes that in a variety of ways: Corporate giving totaled $8.7 million from 1996 through 2005, with contributions going to organizations that include the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, several local hospitals, healthcare groups, research organizations, conservation foundations and chambers of commerce, among many others The Classroom Guide Program invites educators to expose their students to real-world manufacturing, providing the students an opportunity to apply what they learn in math, science and technology classes to an earnest industrial environment BMW Manufacturing sponsors the annual Teacher of the Year Award It supports Leadership Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER), an inquiry-based science kit program that’s designed to help teachers instruct students effectively while making learning science fun. The program is integrated with reading, writing and math to engage students’ interest BMW Manufacturing has donated numerous robots and robot controllers to a variety of learning and/or vocational institutes The annual BMW Charity Pro-Am at the Cliffs Golf Tournament brings in celebrities to raise money and awareness for local charities.