Hartford Business Journal

www.HartfordBusiness.com December 22, 2014 • Hartford Business Journal 33 Industry Focus E c o n o m i c F o r E c a s t Manufacturing Leader A common thread among additive manu- facturing service providers is the hope to enter the supply chain for large corporations and for full-scale production of additively made parts. It is difficult to predict when the transition from prototype parts to a full-scale production might occur, but continuous improvements in the ability to understand processing details will be required to transition toward additive manu- facturing of production parts. Many challenges and opportunities in addi- tive manufacturing are technical in nature, but equal challenges and opportunities exist for workforce development. Few engineers are currently trained in operating the rather com- plex additive manufacturing machines. More- over, with additive manufacturing technology development still in its infancy, there is a need for a highly skilled workforce capable of not only operating equipment, but of understand- ing the underlying engineering issues. Not surprisingly, many companies turn to universities searching for masters and Ph.D- level engineers for their additive manufactur- ing activities. Connecticut has invested and continues to invest substantially into additive manufacturing research at UConn to help speed the transition of this emerging field within the state. Engineering faculty will embark on addi- tive manufacturing research projects that will yield graduates with additive manufacturing skills over the next years; educational programs are being created that will benefit engineers in the state and beyond who want to develop specialized skills in additive manufacturing. After an initial phase of sometimes overly opti- mistic expectations for additive manufacturing, a far more realistic ground has been reached that bodes well for long-term success. Connecticut is well positioned to lead advanced manufacturing with its combination of large original equipment manufacturers, a small- and medium-sized sup- ply base, and strong universities supporting the necessary research and workforce development needs for the industry. n Rainer Hebert is the director of the UConn- Pratt & Whitney Additive Manufacturing Innovation Center and an associate professor in the UConn Department of Materials Sci- ence & Engineering. Q&a Aerospace manufacturing faces 2015 ramp-up Q&A talks with Colin Cooper, CEO of Eastford manufacturer Whitcraft Group, which will play a key role in the aerospace supply chain as the industry ramps up production in 2015. Q: What will be the major focus of Con- necticut aerospace manufacturing in 2015, particularly at Whitcraft? A: For the Whitcraft Group companies, the focus in 2015 will be execution. We've been fortunate to have secured a significant amount of work on the two leading next generation commercial jet engines, Pratt & Whitney's geared turbo fan engine family and GE/Snecma's competing Leap family of engines. The number of orders for these engines is extraordinary and the corresponding ramp-up required as these move into production next year is unprecedented. We're in the foothills of that ramp-up now, and we see the mountain coming at us as we enter 2015. Q: There is a seven-to-eight year back- log for the next generation of commercial jet engines, particularly coming from Pratt & Whitney as well as GE and its partners. How will that impact what you do? A: The past two years have been challenging with the steep decline we've experienced in our largest military programs. At the same time, we've needed to invest in new product develop- ment and revamp our manufacturing processes. The huge and growing backlog for commercial engines bodes well for our business and gives us confidence that the changes we've been mak- ing to our production processes and the invest- ments we've been making in staffing, training, and equipment will yield long-term benefits for our employees, customers, and businesses. Q: How will United Technologies' com- mitment to stay in Connecticut long-term impact you, if at all? A: UTC's commitment to stay in Connecticut is great news for companies like the Whitcraft Group and the scores of other small manufacturing companies in the state that supply Pratt, Sikorsky, and United Technologies Aerospace Systems. Regularly, we have UTC engineers in one of our three Connecticut-based facilities working with our engineers and technicians to optimize compo- nent design. The close proximity to these customers has been critical during the development phase of new programs and gives us a com- petitive edge to secure the work longer term as these programs move into production. Q: While the commercial engine business has been on the rise, the military side has been volatile for a num- ber of reasons. What do you expect from military in 2015? A: We expect to see continued weakness in most of our military programs in 2015. We saw steep declines in a number of our largest military programs in 2012 and into 2013 due to the lower tempo of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan coupled with the military funding challenges due to sequestration. The rate of decline in most programs has abated, but we don't anticipate any significant rebound in 2015. One bright spot for us on the military front has been the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. This program has held up well for us, and the longer-term prospects appear bright. Q: Workforce development has been a major issue of local and national manufac- turers for several years. Will 2015 start to see progress toward resolving the issue? A: Access to a skilled workforce has been a concern for us for a long time now. We continu- ously hold onsite classes in technical areas such as shop math, blueprint interpretation, and geo- metric dimensioning to strengthen the skills of our technicians. More than 10 years ago, we developed our own 2,000-hour apprenticeship, and the gradu- ates of that program are helping drive the business today. The state has come a long way in support- ing technical training at the vocational high school, community college, and state university level, and we're seeing the benefit of that now. For example, in the past few years we've hired graduates of pro- grams at Ellis Tech, Quinebaug Valley Community College, Manchester Community College, Central Connecticut State University, and UConn, among others. We also have over a dozen interns from these institutions working in our businesses bringing fresh perspectives and providing us a pipeline of young talent. Q: Will Connecticut be a good place to do business in 2015? A: To be successful in a global market such as aerospace, we need to rely heav- ily on the skills, knowledge, and abilities of our workforce. We are working diligently to compete with companies from low-wage regions by increas- ing the efficiency of our workforce and improving our production and business processes. The state can help by supporting workforce training while lowering the cost of doing business in Connecti- cut. Progress is being made on the training front, but much work needs to be done on easing the bur- den and lowering the cost to doing business. n CoLIn CooPeR Ceo, Whitcraft Group

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