COVID-19 continues to dominate the news cycle, threaten worker health, impair the economy, and drive legislative activity. As of July 27, Virginia became the first state in the nation to mandate COVID-19 emergency standards on employers. Due to the pandemic, the manufacturing sector and supply chain shed over 50,000 jobs. 78% of confirmed deaths (2,293) are citizens over 70 years old and 57% of confirmed deaths are citizens in long term care facilities. The General Assembly has now convened a special session ostensibly to close a $2.2 billion budget shortfall and deal with social justice and police powers, but it has now expanded into a multitude of bills to add more employer mandates such as paid-time-off. Despite these hurricane-force winds, the manufacturing sector is innovating, hiring, and leading the Commonwealth into a safe recovery.

This week, the VMA and the Manufacturing Skills Institute launched our most ambitious workforce training and consulting service in years – the VA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Certification Program. We now have four training solutions, ranging from an instructor led course to entire online courses, that will ensure that all members and suppliers can meet the new mandated compliance deadlines of August 26 (VA COVID-19 Infectious Disease Preparedness & Response Plan) and September 25 (Employee Training). We are also organizing the business community’s public comments on the newly proposed permanent COVID-19 regulations as well as advocating for legislation (HB5023) to correct the egregious breach of transparency experienced during the VA Safety & Health Codes Board hearing process where public testimony was barred from nearly a month of public hearings.

In the coming weeks, the VMA and GenEdge will be releasing more information on the “MFG Retooling Program” focused on reshoring critical infrastructure manufacturing and expanding domestic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) manufacturing. We will be conducting industry cluster assessments and identifying the best products, regions and facilities, and companies to target for the program. 50 companies will receive substantial assistance from the grant program and help expand Virginia’s economic recovery. If your company has a subsidiary, branch plant or supplier that would be interested in expanding into or reshoring to Virginia, please contact me directly.

I have always subscribed to the theory that the best defense is a good offense. Despite the substantial challenges ahead, the VMA has pivoted its entire operation to expand services to members during this pandemic. We also have no intention of retreating or slowing down. What we need now is your help to expand our message of hope, fearless tenacity, safety, and innovation. We are initiating a membership drive and need your assistance to reach every manufacturer in the Commonwealth and the entire manufacturing supply chain. Please share our Join Now link with your suppliers today. Now is the time to rally together – Manufacturing Makes Virginia Safer.

5G and the impact on manufacturing | Verizon | July 13, 2020 - "With 5G helping to usher in a Fourth Industrial Revolution, the benefits of a next-generation network are anticipated to register strongly on the factory floor. Just as the refinement of mechanical processes led eventually to the assembly line, the combination of 5G and manufacturing has the potential to bring about another radical breakthrough."

U.S. Department of Labor Announces Guidance for the Lost Wages Assistance Program to Provide Needed Relief to Americans | News Release | August 12, 2020 - "The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the release of guidance to help states implement the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program. LWA is authorized by Presidential Memorandum, and provides claimants in most Unemployment Insurance (UI) programs up to $400 per week additional benefits, starting with weeks of unemployment ending on or after Aug. 1, 2020, and ending Dec. 27, 2020 at the latest."

Virginia Companies Increase Exports through Commonwealth’s Two-Year Business Acceleration Program | VEDP | August 13, 2020 - "Governor Ralph Northam announced that 10 companies across the Commonwealth have graduated from the Virginia Economic Development Partnership’s (VEDP) Virginia Leaders in Export Trade (VALET) Program. VALET, which now has over 300 graduated companies, assists Virginia exporters that have firmly established domestic operations and are committed to international exporting as a growth strategy."

VMA offers the VITAL Program through our partnership with VEDP. Navigate the complexities of exporting and grow your business through market research, trade show, and trade mission grants for members.

Governor Northam Announces GO Virginia Funding to Support Economic Recovery, Regional Workforce Development, and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems | Office of the Governor | August 13, 2020 - "Governor Ralph Northam announced that Growth and Opportunity for Virginia (GO Virginia) will award more than $5.5 million to support projects that will help address economic and public health challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The four regional projects and one statewide competitive project receiving funding are focused on strengthening the health sciences workforce pipeline, advancing new renewable energy ventures, and developing a regional services network for entrepreneurs."

Lawmakers outline top priorities ahead of Virginia General Assembly Special Session | WSLS | August 17, 2020 - "With more than 65 bills already filed for the special session, lawmakers are prepared to possibly spend two weeks in Richmond." View each party's agenda here:

Our P&C Program is a truly unique offering in the insurance market. Not only do member companies have access to potentially substantial discounts and world-class service offered by our premier partners - FCCI and Bankers Insurance - they can also now tap into our dividend program. Through the dividend program, companies enrolled in our P&C coverage can receive up to 40% back on their premiums. It is literally cash for your company.

Please contact Ian Ginger for more information. Visit the Business Services page on the VMA website for a complete look at our comprehensive suite of programs.

As an extension of VMAConnections: a Service Provider Sourcing Center, the VMA features and celebrates up to three Associate Members who support and supply services to Virginia manufacturers. Give these great Associates a click or two or three!

Cyber threats have not slowed during the pandemic. Instead, they increased, using COVID-19 problems as fodder for more schemes. See this advisory for Protection against Cyber Threats and Phishing Campaigns from Admiral Security Services to ensure you stay protected.

Hurricane season is upon us! Have you considered the catastrophic effects a hurricane may have on your business and employees? Check out these Hurricane Preparedness Tips from Admiral Security Services. August-October tend to be the most active months, and it's always better to be prepared!

For a chance to see your company spotlighted here or to share resources, contact Kaitlyn Crow.

The Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board adopted §16VAC25-220, Emergency Temporary Standard: Infectious Disease Prevention: SARS-CoV-2 Virus That Causes COVID-19 for businesses on July 15, 2020. This emergency standard came into effect on July 27, 2020 and is set to expire within six months or upon expiration of the Governor’s State of Emergency or the enactment of a permanent standard. Virginia is the first state in the country to pass such a standard, and it affects all businesses in Virginia.

The VMA & MSI created the VA COVID-19 Emergency Temporary Standard Certification Program to allow your business to remain in compliance under these new Emergency Standards. Register for the below courses using our simple Registration & Payment form:

This year's MSI Workforce Solution took place on August 5th & 6th using our virtual conference format, Crowdcast. Speakers dialed in from all over the country to share best practices and ideas to leverage workforce development across all sectors affecting industry. All sessions were recorded. If you are interested in accessing the recordings, please contact Kimberly Noonan at [email protected].

We'd like to give one last huge thanks to our Title Sponsor, Community College Workforce Alliance. CCWA, with its partners at John Tyler Community College, opened the William H. Talley, III Center for Workforce Development at the Chester campus. The center houses several new classrooms and learning spaces, including two digital labs and a state-of-the-art flex lab for developing technical skills in a hands-on environment. The center offers a variety of courses in the areas of manufacturing, logistics, trades, information technology, training and credential programs. View a virtual tour of CCWA’s new William H. Talley, III Workforce Center here.

We're teaming up with WiM-Western Michigan to bring you another virtual golf tournament! Show your support for the Women in Manufacturing (WiM) educational mission and help provide resources to the WiM-Virginia & Western Michigan Chapters for professional development and youth career exploration while staying connected to other VMA members and WiM partners across the country!

Join 450+ manufacturing professionals at the 10th annual WiM Summit, an important educational and networking event for women in manufacturing. Learn more about the event online, and register by Sept. 23!

Use the WiM-VA special discount code to get 10% off registration: WiMVA10

Join the VMA and Alonso Echevarria with Oak Ridge Solutions for an in-depth look on business opportunities in Peru for Virginia companies. Learn about opportunities in agribusiness, infrastructure, food packaging and processing, cyber security, and other prominent sectors of Peru's economy.

We are going virtual! The Virginia Environmental Health & Safety (VEHS) Conference is the VMA’s premiere event of the year where Virginia industry environmental leaders, regulators, legislators and allies join together for sharing information, best practices and technology. Program highlights, a list of speakers and session dates/times are available on our VEHS event webpage. Can't attend one of the sessions because of a scheduling conflict? No worries - all sessions will be recorded and made available to registered attendees immediately after the session ends. This event is just another way that the VMA is supporting our members, bringing you programming "where you are" and making professional development a priority. Register today and join us for this 4-day virtual event!

Host an event! Registration for MFG Day is now open. You can also search for an event in your area to build connections and learn more about your fellow manufacturers.

Help us celebrate women in manufacturing and support our goal of building the next generation of leaders that will assure the competitiveness of Virginia’s 6,000 manufacturers. This year's Keynote Speaker is Jodi Keller, Executive Vice President, United Scrap Metal, Inc.