AUTOMATION FEDERATION NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Becky Schneider
+1 919-990-9266
bschneider@automationfederation.org

Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA (27April 2011) – The Automation Federation (AF) announced that, in March, the American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) signed a Memorandum of Membership, becoming one of the newest members of AF. 

AF is an association of member organizations providing awareness, programs and services that continually advance all facets of the automation profession. AF serves as the “Voice of Automation” by providing advocacy and industry-wide strategic analysis and coordination through its member organizations. 

ASMC is a trade association of manufacturing extension agents working to improve the innovation and productivity of the United States of America’s manufacturing community. The goal of ASMC is to keep small U.S. manufacturing competitive in a global economy. 

AF and ASMC have worked together in support of the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), which has assisted manufacturers around the U.S. AF anticipates an increase in this work with MEP as a result of ASMC’s becoming a member of AF. 

AF and ASMC will be working together to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics education (STEM) and the Automation Competency Model to improve the general public’s awareness of automation and technology, and to help small manufacturers around the country remain competitive. 

Nelson Ninin, 2011 chair of the Automation Federation, said, “I am pleased that our initial collaborations with the American Small Manufacturers Coalition have led to ASMC becoming a member of AF. We look forward to working with the ASMC members in each state to promote the importance of automation for the future of small manufacturing.” 

Carrie Hines, ASMC executive director, stated, “I have seen the work the Automation Federation has put forth to promote the automation profession in Washington, D.C. and the respect that AF has achieved with Congress and NIST. I am pleased that ASMC is a member of such a respected organization.” 

About ASMC
The American Small Manufacturers Coalition (ASMC) is a trade association of manufacturing extension agents who work to improve the innovation and productivity of America’s manufacturing community. ASMC advocates for legislative and programmatic resources that allow our small manufacturing clients to better compete in the global marketplace. The Coalition and its members do this by increasing awareness of the importance of American small manufacturers, the challenges which they face and the federal legislation and programs which affect them. One program of primary focus is the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). 

About the Automation Federation
The Automation Federation is a global umbrella organization under which member associations and societies engaged in manufacturing and process automation activities can work more effectively to fulfill their missions, advance the science and engineering of automation technologies and applications and develop the workforce needed to capitalize on the benefits of automation. The Automation Federation is working to become the “Voice of Automation.” For more information about the Automation Federation, visit www.automationfederation.org.