N.J. Manufacturers Get Social Media Resource
In an effort to bring together industry peers and change public perception, the nonprofit New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program Inc., in Morris Plains, said Monday it launched two online social media groups for small to midsize manufacturers in the state.
The groups are listed on both Facebook and LinkedIn as Made In New Jersey. Companies can access these sites to connect with other manufacturers, while the public can learn more about the varied aspects of the industry, according to Bob Loderstedt, CEO of the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program.
The social groups, he said, may also help change such misconceptions that the industry always goes hand-in-hand with smokestacks and jobs on the factory floor. “You also need presidents, financial people, accounts payable people and engineers,” Loderstedt said.
Made In New Jersey, he said, also puts a spotlight on companies to further understand the different types of manufacturers in the state.
As the community on the social sites grows, he said, subgroups focused on specific sectors of manufacturing may be formed. “There are a lot of manufacturers in the state involved with the [Department of Defense],” Loderstedt said.
New Jersey, he said, can be seen as a supply chain destination. The call for wind turbine production in the state could lead to business for local fabricators. “Of the components that go in a wind turbine, probably better than 75 percent of them can be manufactured in New Jersey today,” he said.