Advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) are critical sectors in Indiana, employing over 840,000 people, contributing $151 billion to the state’s economy and representing 37% of the state’s economic output. To ensure AML continues to thrive, the nonprofit Conexus Indiana has launched a new six-year strategic initiative that seeks to address current challenges and seize future opportunities to help the industry grow.
Conexus 2031: Empowering Bold Industry Transformation was developed from research gathered in collaboration with TEConomy Partners. Bryce Carpenter, chief operating and strategy officer for Conexus Indiana, said the comprehensive research was to determine what areas in AML in Indiana needed the most attention. Factors considered included productivity, digitalization and technology, and state trends in those areas were compared to those on a national level.
“We have almost 10,000 advanced manufacturing and logistics companies throughout the state, so we have this wealth of industry knowledge,” said Carpenter. “As any industry changes and evolves over time, as all of them do, Indiana will be sort of disproportionately affected by the continued change of advanced manufacturing. So, an organization like ours is one of the core stakeholders to ensure advanced manufacturing and logistics continue to thrive in the state. Looking at the trends keeps us ahead of the curve, anticipating challenges and making sure that the industry is ready for those changes.”
Findings from the research indicated that Conexus’ focus should be on tech adoption and workforce development. The plan outlines attention in four major areas: Developing connections, networks, and ecosystems; maximizing talent; driving innovation; and delivering thought leadership. Conexus officials plan to collaborate with leaders in education, technology and the state and federal public sectors to enhance technology partnerships.
“We all have to approach this in an organized way. Conexus, Ascend, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Manufacturers Association, Ivy Tech, Purdue, IU, Notre Dame and others,” said Carpenter. “We need to collaborate to have the type of impact that advanced manufacturing and logistics needs us to have. The more organizations that are working together and communicating, the easier it will be.”
Addressing the need to build a talent pipeline, Carpenter said workforce has been a long-standing challenge in the industry. Conexus’ plan includes expanding ways for more opportunities for existing workers and strengthening training and recruitment programs for potential employees. Reskilling and upskilling will be an important component of the plan. Partnerships with education entities can help train with new technology and develop training courses for employers. Another focus area includes bringing more awareness and career possibilities in the industries to younger students.
In their efforts to drive innovation, Conexus’ strategic plan introduces the Center for Manufacturing Innovation, an outlet for education and training.
“This will evolve over time. It is a centralized resource. In the beginning, it will be virtual for innovation resources, white papers, and programming information. It is a resource to help small and mid-sized manufacturers figure out what their problems are. It will be information about manufacturing readiness grants and tech adoption resources, blueprints and case studies,” said Carpenter. “It will be a one-stop-shop that brings everything together.”
Carpenter said the strategic plan was designed to cement Indiana’s position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics. He said with 183 partners across the state, there are ample opportunities to move that work forward.
“We work with some of the best companies and organizations across the state. We are committed day in and day out to using all of our resources and working with our stakeholders, academic, philanthropic, public sector and industry leaders to come together to help Indiana,” he said. “We all work toward a goal of ensuring that Indiana’s economy is as healthy, if not healthier, 10 years from now as it is today. For us at Conexus Indiana, that happens to be AML, which is a huge component of the state. We know as the health of AML in Indiana grows, so does Indiana’s economic health.
“It’s a huge responsibility,” he continued. “But it is a focus for our Hoosiers, our neighbors, our parents, our friends in advanced manufacturing and logistics to ensure that 840,000 people have meaningful careers and that we have a growth in business and a growth in industry for the state of Indiana.”
