COMING UP! Government Relations Meet Up (6/11), Happy Hour (6/26), and DRMA 101 (6/18)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Manufacturers: The 2025 Wage and Benefit Survey is now open! Use the data to attract and retain employees and get the report for free (a savings of $500 for members). Deadline is 6/30. Contact Shay to get the link. 

Heads up! Registration opens for the DRMA Fall Golf Outing next Monday, 6/9! Keep an eye on your inbox for registration forms to be emailed Monday morning. This year's outing will take place on Monday, 9/29, at Miami Valley Golf Club with 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. tee times available. Sponsorship opportunities are available, contact Susan for more information.

WorkAdvance Employers: we have three Meet & Greet hiring events coming up! Join us on 6/13, 6/27, and 7/22 to meet with entry-level manufacturing candidates ready for hire. Not participating in WorkAdvance yet and want to learn more on how to tap into these talent pools? It's not too late to opt-into the program. Contact Susan today to RSVP to a Meet & Greet event or learn more about this grant-funded program!

Tap into the DRMA “brain trust” by joining the DRMA private LinkedIn Group, exclusively for people at DRMA member companies. The group provides an on-line venue to ask questions, learn from each other, and collaborate on a private platform dedicated to our members. Click here to request to join the group!

Members receive a 20% discount on OSHA training courses! Contact Shay for the discount code. Learn more at midamericaosha.org.

Looking to get more engaged with DRMA? Do you want to learn more about all that DRMA does and how your business can benefit? Attend the next DRMA 101 and get an overview on all things DRMA! Contact Shay to learn more and reserve your spot.

Don’t leave workers’ compensation premium savings to chance! Contact Paul to receive a complimentary evaluation of your workers’ compensation premium from our endorsed business partner, Sedgwick. 

Don’t miss these upcoming Lean Manufacturing workshops, exclusively for DRMA member companies. Participants learn how to implement lean concepts and techniques to make systematic, lasting improvements within their operations. Presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College. $225 per session. Contact Shay for more information and to register.

• 8/21 - Value Stream Mapping: Understand how to effectively apply and implement tools to map and improve the flow of materials and information within an operation and develop a value stream plan for successful implementation. More information here.
• 10/16 - Set-Up Reduction: Learn the fundamentals of SMED and rapid-changeover and how to successfully implement these techniques on the shop floor, gain an understanding of internal vs. external changeover within an operation and how reducing non-value time positively impacts operations. More information here.
• 11/13 - Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) – Understand how to effectively “mistake-proof” processes and operations to minimize and eliminate errors. More information here.

DRMA’s series on family business succession planning continues in June with an article on How to Prepare Your Family Business for a Smooth Transition, written by Kate Vriner of Sunbelt Business Advisors of Southwest Ohio. Previous articles can be found here. Stay tuned for information on a webinar to be held on this topic later this summer. 

Did we catch you at the DRMA Summer Golf Outing and Happy Hour? Click here to see photos.

Want to increase your brand exposure and support the DRMA? Get your name in front of attendees by sponsoring one of our upcoming events! Contact Susan for more details.

• Economic Update - Join 200+ attendees as Conor Lokar, one of the nation’s most informed economists provides business leaders with economic information, insight, analysis, and strategy on 8/20 at Sinclair.
• Fall Golf Outing - Join 200+ attendees for scramble-format golf and dinner on 9/29 at our new location at Miami Valley Country Club.
• Trap Shoot - You’ll get your name and brand in front of 100+ attendees who come out to participate in this fun event on 10/16! Some sponsorships include shooters; lock in your spot by purchasing a sponsorship today!

Have you moved, updated your company name or information, had staffing changes in the last year? If so, please contact Shay with a quick update so we can update our records.

THANK YOU Noelle Cossick of AFC Tool! Noelle was one of our most active career event volunteers last year, working enough events to earn her a Heavy Lifter award at this year’s Workforce Shoptalk for volunteering at the most events in a single year! DRMA appreciates and thanks Noelle for her commitment to our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole.

Sponsored Content

Interested in inspiring a new generation of manufacturers? You still have plenty of time to plan for National MFG Day (10/3). But you can always host your student tours on any day that works for you. Members get help with planning! Already have a tour scheduled? Let us know your plans! Contact Amy or complete this form.

Can’t find enough qualified workers? Want to help grow YOUR future workforce? We’re looking for a few people to join our Speakers Bureau. If you are a manufacturer and feel comfortable talking to a small group, this may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you! We’ll train you on how to conduct an activity that shows students how a concept can be transformed into a flourishing career by simulating the startup of a manufacturing company. Then we’ll work with you to schedule events that match your availability. Contact Amy to learn more.

Your membership can save you $$ while upskilling your workforce! Take advantage of DRMA’s partnership with Tooling U-SME to receive 15% off hundreds of training courses just for being a DRMA member. Interested? Contact Amy.

Member exclusive! WorkAdvance, a proven initiative to supplement your recruitment strategies, will bring you quality candidates to fill your manufacturing entry-level positions. Candidates are ready now to interview! Contact Susan to learn more.

Research shows that hiring interns has a huge impact on workforce development. They bring fresh ideas to the table, free up current employees to explore new territory, and often develop into productive and efficient full-time employees. DRMA is proud to partner with SOCHE to help manufacturers find and retain the next generation of talent. Contact Patty Buddelmeyer for more information about how to find and hire interns. 

Help grow your future workforce by purchasing a sponsorship for student giveaways! We are preparing for our Fall career outreach events, and we need your help. Your sponsorship of $500 will help us cover the costs of things like lanyards, stickers, dog tags, and wood gliders (all items that students love to get!) and will include your organization’s name. Contact Kara for more info.

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to register for the Government Relations Meet Up with Montgomery County Commissioner Mary McDonald being held on 6/11 at 4 p.m., virtual. Meet Ups provide members with the unique opportunity to talk with elected officials in a small, focused setting. Register here. Free and for members only! 

Looking for an opportunity to volunteer on important DRMA initiatives, or have an interest in policy issues? Consider serving on DRMA’s Government Relations Committee. Email Amy with any questions.

6/10, 8 - 10 a.m., Creating Pathways: Connecting Employers to Internships & Apprenticeships, Dayton, presented by Sinclair Community College's Office of Work-Based Learning in partnership with DRMA. Learn how interns and apprentices can help enhance your workforce, discover strategies other employers have utilized, and meet with Sinclair faculty and staff who can connect you with Sinclair students. Click here for more info and to register.

6/26, 4 - 6 p.m., DRMA Happy Hour, Dayton. Come have a drink and meet with other DRMA members at the DRMA Happy Hour hosted by PNC Bank. Register here.

7/15, 8 - 9:30 a.m., Breakfast with DRMA: Insurance Recovery, Dayton. Registration is open! Presented by Thompson Hine, learn best practices on commercial insurance coverage when faced with a casualty event as well as key insurance considerations important to mitigating supply chain risks. Register here.

8/20, 2:15 - 6 p.m., Economic Update, Sinclair College, Dayton. Registration is open! Don’t miss our largest event of the year! Presented by KeyBank, listen to an engaging update from one of the country's premier economists, Connor Lokar of ITR Economics. His presentation will provide the information you need to guide your business moving forward in 2026. Register here. Contact Susan for sponsorship opportunities.

Meet-Up - FREE and for members only. Join the conversation!

• 6/11, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Government Relations, virtual. Register here. 

DRMA 101 - Whether you are a new member or a seasoned member, kickstart your membership ROI and learn what DRMA does to help you strengthen your business. Contact Shay to sign up!

• 6/18, 4 - 5 p.m., FASTLANE, Dayton (snack provided).
• 7/23, 4 - 5 p.m., Bruns General Contracting, Tipp City (snack provided).

For more information on any of our events, visit our website.

Save the Date - Upcoming DRMA Events

9/29 Fall Golf Outing - Miami Valley Golf Club

10/16 Trap Shoot - Wright Patt Rod and Gun Club

12/3 Annual Meeting - NCR Country Club

Community Events

• 6/12, 8 - 9 a.m., Miami Valley Safety Council Breakfast, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 6/17-18, Investment Casting Institute, Advanced Manufacturing for Investment Casting Symposium, Dayton. More information/registration here.

Manufacturers: Now, more than ever, you need to be competitive in the workforce market! The information contained in DRMA’s Wage and Benefit Survey Report will help you adjust your compensation program in order to attract and retain employees. PLEASE complete the survey . . . we need a lot of member companies to participate to make the results statistically reliable. You will get the results for FREE if you participate. If you need the link re-sent or if you have questions, contact Shay.

A great source for “insider” business information is Connor Lokar, one of the country’s most informed economists. Connor, who is returning to speak to DRMA members on 8/20, will give manufacturers and other businesses insight on how to forecast, plan, and increase their profits based on business cycle trend analyses. With an accuracy rate of 94.7%, ITR Economics provides the best economic intelligence to reduce risk and drive practical and profitable business decisions. Even if you have heard an ITR speaker at another event this year, you don’t want to miss Connor’s speech to DRMA. He applies their trend analysis to Ohio and the Dayton Region. Connor is a dynamic, interesting, and entertaining speaker. You will not be disappointed! Contact Susan to sponsor this event or register here today!

Consider the DRMA Business Leads service as a source for connecting with potential customers who are looking for manufacturing suppliers. And remember to use the service if you are over capacity and need to outsource work. Email Shay and she’ll explain the process.

Involvement vs. engagement. DRMA and many other business associations across the country realize there is a major difference between the two. Involvement (yes, we depend on involved volunteers) is not the ONLY way for you to get value from your membership. In fact, across all associations, only about 25% of members attend their associations’ events. It’s really all about ENGAGEMENT. Engagement comes in many forms, from attending events, to participating in our wage and top issues surveys, to reading and responding to business lead emails, to hosting an open house on MFG Day, etc. We now ask you to get ENGAGED . . . which is truly how you get bang for your DRMA dues buck!

Attention Manufacturer members: Click here to see manufacturing-pertinent resumes I have received.

Congratulations to DRMA member French Oil Mill Machinery Co. on celebrating 125 years of family ownership and manufacturing innovation.

Welcome new DRMA members:

• 11th Hour Staffing
• Collins Aerospace