Sweatman earns reappointment to Manufacturing Council

Department of Commerce group advises Obama Administration on manufacturing policy

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Roy Sweatman, president of Southern Manufacturing Technologies (SMT) in Tampa, was reappointed today by the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve on the 2013 Manufacturing Council. A former chairman of the National Tooling and Machining Association (NTMA), Sweatman joins 25 other U.S. manufacturing leaders on the 2013 council. 

The Manufacturing Council provides advice to the Secretary of Commerce on strategic issues related to the overall competitiveness of the nation’s manufacturing sector, including the adoption and effectiveness of government policies and programs that affect the industry. From his position on a council that includes such companies as Lockheed Martin and Rockwell Automation, Sweatman will help emphasize the need for policies that help small and medium U.S. manufacturing companies, a critical part of the U.S. manufacturing industry.

“I am honored to be reappointed to the Manufacturing Council,” said Sweatman. “Small and medium manufacturers play an enormous role in our nation, both as job creators and as the backbone of many communities. Policies that help support the work of small manufacturing businesses create positive ripple effects throughout the economy. It is gratifying to be part of a process in which policymakers and business leaders can work together to address our most pressing issues, from the potential for comprehensive tax reform to the ongoing shortage of skilled manufacturing workers in our country today. We need to get these things right to ensure that U.S. manufacturing can effectively compete in an international marketplace.”

Sweatman’s reappointment marks the fourth consecutive term in which a member of the “One Voice” partnership has sat on the council. NTMA and the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) formed One Voice to advocate for the interests of small and medium manufacturers throughout the U.S. The late PMA member Jim McGregor of McGregor Industries previously served on the council, a position he had held since its inception in 2004. 

Sweatman’s company, SMT, specializes in precision machined components and assemblies primarily for the aircraft, aerospace, defense industries.  Founded in 1983, SMT was honored as the Tampa Small Business of the Year and in 2009 won the Business Excellence Award from the Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance.  

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Sweatman: Let manufacturers adapt without policy changes

http://www.plantengineering.com/single-article/sweatman-let-manufacturers-adapt-without-policy-changes/ba8153286867e12e5adf4d6dc1808c18.html

NTMA Website: www.ntma.org