Upcoming Events

October 13, 2026
1:00 pm - 3:45 pm

Get a firsthand look at how IKO approaches continuous improvement on the shop floor. The visit will explore how improvement opportunities are identified, communicated and acted upon to improve efficiency, productivity, safety and performance. Following the plant tour, participants will take part in a Plus/Delta discussion – sharing observations, ideas and lessons with the IKO team and fellow manufacturing professionals.

October 27, 2026
12:45 am - 4:00 pm

This visit to AFL in Dunan will focus on operational excellence, manufacturing growth, and continuous improvement within one of South Carolina’s leading advanced manufacturing organizations. Attendees will gain insight into capital equipment expansion, plant layout optimization, material flow improvements, and AFL’s Manufacturing Excellence Operating System - all while supporting rapidly growing markets tied to AI, broadband infrastructure, and hyperscale data centers.

November 4, 2026
10:00 am - 2:30 pm

In this hands-on, half-day workshop, you’ll learn how SMED (Single Minute Exchange of Dies) helps manufacturers dramatically reduce equipment changeover times using a proven Lean approach. Through a blend of instruction, real-world examples, and interactive exercises, participants will learn how to streamline changeovers, engage operators, improve safety and consistency, and respond faster to customer demand. You’ll leave with clear, practical strategies you can apply immediately on your plant floor – delivering measurable improvements in productivity and performance.

November 10, 2026
1:00 pm - 3:45 PM

Join the OpExChange at TS Conductor’s new Hardeeville facility for a look at a manufacturing operation being built in real time. As the facility ramps toward an eventual workforce of more than 460 employees, Plant Manager Brad Thompson and his team are turning tribal knowledge into standardized work, developing consistent work instructions, improving training and qualification, and creating systems designed to scale across the organization. Members will see these efforts firsthand and have an opportunity to share their own experiences and ideas during a Plus/Delta discussion with the TS Conductor team. This isn’t a tour of a finished system — it’s a chance to see one being built.

December 1, 2026
10:00 am - 2:30 pm

You asked for it – and we listened! Following the success of our Plant Manager and HR Leader ExChanges, OpExChange is bringing the same confidential, peer-driven format to manufacturing safety leaders. Join fellow safety professionals to share challenges, benchmark practices, exchange ideas, and learn what’s working at other manufacturing sites.

January 13, 2027
1:00 pm - 3:45 PM

Get an inside look at Hitachi Rail’s manufacturing transformation while it is still underway. The team will share why the transformation was needed, how they approached it, what has been accomplished so far, and where they are headed next. The visit will highlight selected initiatives involving plant layout and material flow, digitalization, supply chain and inventory, leadership systems, workforce development, and continuous improvement – including the use of Power BI analytics and real-time location systems (RTLS).

January 20, 2027
10:00 am - 2:30 pm

Move beyond the AI hype and discover practical ways to put artificial intelligence to work in manufacturing. This interactive half-day workshop explores AI tools and applications for automation, forecasting, planning, scheduling, predictive analytics, and more – giving manufacturing professionals practical ideas they can begin exploring in their own organizations today.

February 10, 2027
10:00 am - 2:30 pm