28 SEPTEMBER 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The AEM Manufacturing Express Tour Adapted from Information by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers The Association of Equipment Manufacturers’ (AEM) robust history began 130 years ago from a unique vantage point - its industry segments came together to create a fundamentally more powerful voice and advocate for the off-road equipment manufacturing industry. AEM is the leading organization in North America advancing construction, agricultural equipment manufacturers, and their value chain partners in the global marketplace. They officially kicked off the 10,000-mile cross-country bus tour in Iowa with stops at Weiler, Vermeer, and Ring-O-Matic, before capping off a busy week with an appearance in the Urbandale 4th of July Parade. The stops drew thousands of manufacturing workers, their friends, and family for a celebration of the grit, determination, and can-do spirit of the men and women who build amazing equipment in central Iowa. The AEM Manufacturing Express is the most ambitious member engagement initiative, designed to tell the stories of the men and women who make the equipment that builds, powers, and feeds the world. “Behind every piece of equipment is a story, and we are excited to tell the stories of the 2.3 million men and women of our industry,” said AEM President Megan Tanel. These stories were front and center during the tour’s swing through the Hawkeye State. Like that of Erik Murphy at Ring-O-Matic, who turned an internship into a career as a design engineer and the pride he feels when he sees machines he helped design hard at work cleaning up construction sites. Or that of Jake Harsin at Weiler, who spoke about the opportunities a career in equipment manufacturing offers anyone who is willing to take chances, try different roles, and let their career grow around them. AEM introduced the “Manufacturing Challenge” on its Manufacturing Express bus tour. This innovative online video game, created exclusively for AEM, invites participants to tackle industry-themed questions for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a Ford F-150. Megan stated, “The tour will visit 80 communities at equipment manufacturing sites, showcasing the contributions of our industry’s workers to local economies and our nation’s prosperity.” It will engage with local and regional policymakers to spotlight bipartisan policies crucial for supporting equipment manufacturing companies, their 2.3 million employees, and the industry’s annual $316 billion contribution to the U.S. economy. The tour will journey across the nation, culminating in a grand finale at Komatsu in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in October. C&G
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