COMING UP! Lunch & Learn webinar (10/22), Workforce/HR Meet Up (10/27), and Candidate Chat (10/28)! Be sure to scroll down to the Events section to find out more.

Working on your 2027 budget? Don’t forget to include DRMA membership! Your investment helps your company stay connected, competitive, and informed while giving manufacturing a strong voice across the Dayton Region.

Manufacturer Members: Time is running out to share YOUR input via DRMA’s Top Issues Survey on the “hot button” issues that impact your operations. A survey link was previously sent to all manufacturers – please complete the survey if you haven’t already done so as it closes soon. Input will guide our public policy efforts in 2027. Didn’t get the survey? Email Amy for a new link. 



Hot off the press! The 2026 Wage and Benefit Survey Report is available now! The data contained in the report will help you adjust your compensation program in order to attract and retain employees. Did you participate in or purchase the report? If so, attend the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 10/27 where we'll do a deep dive into the results. Click here to register and contact Shay to purchase the report.

Shoptalk is around the corner! Register now for the 11/11 event at Solvita featuring panelists from The Minco Group, FC Industries, and Solvita who will share insights on what is keeping manufacturers up at night. After the quick panel there will be networking and tours of Solvita’s impressive facility. Register here; we look forward to seeing you there!

Upskill your workforce with our upcoming workshops, presented by the Workforce Division of Sinclair College and exclusively for DRMA members. Contact Shay for more information and to register.

• NEW! Root Cause Problem Solving & Process Improvement – This series will cover practical problem-solving and continuous improvement tools, including process mapping, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams, Root Cause Analysis, brainstorming and decision-making tools, and basic process control concepts. $1600 for five 4-hour sessions, starting 10/30. Discount available if registering more than 4 employees. More information here.
• Our Lean Manufacturing series wraps up with Session #4: Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) - Participants will learn how to effectively “mistake-proof” their operations to minimize and eliminate errors. $300 for one 3.5-hour session on 11/5. Understand how to effectively “mistake-proof” processes and operations to minimize and eliminate errors. More information here.
• Blueprint Reading - Learn how to read and interpret basic blueprints. $200 for one 4-hour session on 11/6. More information here.
• GD&T - Learn how to read and interpret engineering drawings and better understand the ASME Y14.5 GD&T standard. $300 for two 3-hour sessions on 11/13 & 11/20. More information here.

Time is running out to save with DRMA’s Workers’ Comp program! Enrollment deadline for our group is 11/17. Contact Julia Bowling with Sedgwick at (513) 218-4062 before it’s too late!

Have you taken advantage of the 20% OSHA tuition discount offered to DRMA members? If not, contact Shay and she’ll help you get started! 

Safety alert! The Ohio BWC has reopened its Safety Grants program, making more than $41 million available in fiscal year 2027 to help Ohio employers invest in equipment to keep workers safe and reduce injuries. The Safety Intervention Grant (SIG) is available to any Ohio private or public employer covered by the State Insurance Fund and allows employers to purchase equipment to significantly reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses associated with a particular task or operation. Read more about eligibility requirements and the application process here.

The Dayton-Cincinnati region is red-hot for economic growth! Learn what is driving interest in our region and what this means for manufacturing and workforce development during a panel discussion hosted by Butler Tech and Miami University at their new Advanced Manufacturing Workforce & Innovation Hub (Hamilton campus) on 11/4 from 8:30 - 10:30 am. The panel will feature leaders from GE Aerospace, Modula, REDI Cincinnati, and the Dayton Development Coalition with an optional tour of the Hub held after the panel. For more info or to register, click here. 



Did we catch you at the DRMA Trap Shoot Fundraiser event last week? See photos here. Congrats to Makers Supply and FC Precision for first and second place team winnings!

THANK YOU to our Trap Shoot Event Planning Committee for planning another amazing event on 10/16! Consisting of Brian Ault (Bruns General Contracting), Josh Kneidl (Benjamin Steel Co., Inc.), Ashley Mangen (First Financial Bank), Clark Manson (Makers Supply), Chad Martin (Barnes Dennig), Matt Miller (Rieck Services, LLC), Mike Nemeth (Elliott Tool Technologies), Brian Roos (Morris Bean & Company), & Dan Schock. This group worked hard to put on this fun event to help raise funds for the DRMA Foundation! DRMA appreciates and thanks the entire Trap Shoot Event Committee for their commitment to our organization and to the Dayton Region manufacturing industry as a whole.

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Join us for the Workforce/HR Meet Up on 10/27, 11 - 12 p.m., virtual! At this Meet Up, we will do a deep dive into the results of the 2026 Wage and Benefit Survey, with analysis provided by Barnes Dennig. Free and for only members that participated in the survey or purchased a copy of the report! Register here. 

October is MFG Month! It’s time to celebrate manufacturing and spread the word on the great careers offered by our industry! Throughout this month, thousands of area students will be exposed to manufacturing careers by visiting our members’ manufacturing facilities. We can’t wait to hear how your tours go – remember to tag #MFGDay26 on social media!

Member exclusive! WorkAdvance, a proven initiative to supplement your recruitment strategies, will bring you quality candidates to fill your manufacturing entry-level positions. A cohort of candidates will complete training the middle of November and will then be ready to hire! Contact Amy to learn more.

We have a ton of career events coming up that need volunteers! These events are mission-critical for your company to grow YOUR future workforce AND they are a lot of fun! DRMA staff does all the hard work; your job is to talk one-on-one with students when they come up to our display table. Events are a couple of hours long, no public speaking is required, and talking points will be provided. We’ll send you an email when we have an opportunity, and you will let us know if the location and date work for you. Upcoming events: Junior Achievement’s Inspire to Hire (in Clark Co) on 10/28; Milton Union Power Lunch on 11/12; Bellbrook HS Power Lunch on 11/19. Contact Michelle for more info.

Need welding help? The Greene County Career Center has 5 students that have passed Mig, Flux, Stick, and are working on Tig. All have fabrication experience and are looking for real world experience. They can work as little as one day a week for a few hours to a full two-week rotation (40 hours a week). Want more info, contact Amy.

Supplement your recruiting strategy by attending the following career and internship fairs:

• Northwestern Jr./Sr. High School Opportunity Fair (Springfield), 10/29. Email Amy Fraker for more details.
• City of Centerville and Montgomery County Workforce Development Job and Career Fair (Centerville), 10/29. Click here for more info. 
• Stebbins High School & Career Technology Fair at Stebbins High School (Dayton), 11/11. Contact Jeff Berk for more details.
• Preble County College & Career Fair (New Paris), 11/20. Contact Carmen Kennel for more details.

This is one more reminder to complete the Top Issues Survey if you haven’t already done so! Email Amy if you need a link to the survey! The input we receive from members drives DRMA’s agenda when we talk with candidates and elected officials. You can see the importance of the Top Issues List by attending an upcoming Candidate Chat – but hurry, there are only two left: Dr. Vanessa Enoch, running for US Congressional District 8 (Butler, Darke and Preble Counties) on 10/21 and State Rep Tom Young, running for re-election to Ohio House District 37 (Montgomery County) on 10/28. Click on each name for more info and to register. As always, Candidate Chats are free and for members only!

10/22, 12 - 12:30 p.m., Lunch & Learn Webinar: Today's Energy Market Outlook - How To Manage Your Energy Bill presented by Ampica Energy Solutions. This session is designed for facility, finance, and sustainability leaders looking for actionable insights to make smarter energy decisions and better control their energy bills. Register here.

11/11, 4 - 6 p.m., Shoptalk, Solvita, Kettering. Inside Manufacturing: What's Keeping Industry Leaders Up at Night?, Solvita, Kettering. Join us for a little “overtime” after work, enjoying the casual atmosphere while learning something new and networking with your DRMA peers! Panelists from FC Industries, The Minco Group, and Solvita will share insights on today's top challenges and pain points for manufacturers. Register here.

11/18, 8 - 10 a.m., Breakfast with DRMA, Thompson Hine, Miamisburg, Compliance & Best Practices for Government Contract Work. Register here.



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

• Candidate Chats

○ 10/21, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Dr. Vanessa Enoch, candidate for US House of Representative - District 8, virtual. Register here.

○ 10/28, 4 - 4:45 p.m., Candidate Chat with Tom Young, candidate for Ohio House of Representative - District 7, virtual. Register here.

• 10/27, 11 - 12 p.m., Workforce/HR, 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!

• 11/19, 8:30 - 9:30 a.m., Brixey & Meyer., Miamisburg (breakfast provided)

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

Save the Date - Upcoming DRMA Events

4/8/2027 Business and Bourbon - Moraine Country Club

6/7/2027 Summer Golf Outing - Troy Country Club

Community Events

• 10/28, 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., Miami Valley Safety Council 74th Annual Safety Conference & Symposium, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 10/29, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Montgomery County Workforce Development Job & Career Fair, Centerville. More information, here.
• 11/11, 8 - 10:30 a.m., Stebbins High School & Career Technology Center's Annual College & Career Fair, Dayton. More information/registration here.
• 11/20, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Montgomery County ESC Accessibility Career Fair, Fairborn (Wright State University Student Union). More information/registration here.