Manufacturers from a broad range of industry sectors are expected to gather here for the third annual Advanced Manufacturing, Materials & Aerospace Expo, which will be held Sept. 29-30. The expo aims to highlight opportunities for Inland Northwest manufacturers to increase business by connecting with suppliers and customers.

Spokane-area companies and support organizations will be featured in more than 100 booths during the expo, which also will include breakout sessions and a luncheon.

The expo kicks off with a reception for sponsors and exhibitors, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center, at 2426 N. Discovery Place, in Spokane Valley. The reception will be followed by a dinner, featuring keynote speaker M. Robert Weidner III, president and CEO of the Metals Service Center Institute. 

A full day of in-depth breakout sessions will be held Tuesday, Sept. 30, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, at 404 N. Havana. Breakout sessions will cover topics such as self-insurance, shop floor automation, sourcing talent from the veteran population, and influencing legislation. 

At the luncheon that day, the Spokane Area Workforce Development Council will present on projected growth across the manufacturing sector industries of the Inland Northwest. Critical occupations that support manufacturing will be featured, as well as short- and long-term demand forecasts for these occupations. The presentation also will include a discussion on the potential for future shortages in the labor market and a discussion of strategies to prevent such shortages.

Title sponsors include Inland Northwest Aerospace Consortium (INWAC), Cd’A Metals, Haskins Steel Co., Inc., Pacific Steel & Recycling, and Ryerson Inc.

Businesses interested in attending the expo can sign up online at www.inlandexpo.com or email [email protected] for more information.