When Gibbs and Associates appear later this month at the Westec manufacturing trade show it will be the company’s first public appearance since a merger with Cimatron Limited. It should make for an interesting time, said Bill Gibbs, president and CEO of the Moorpark-based maker of software used in the production manufacturing market. The company has weathered the reaction of the employees and its re-sellers but nobody else. “We haven’t sat down in front of the world yet and said, “We’re part of a bigger company now,'” Gibbs said. In January, Gibbs merged into the U.S. subsidiary of Cimatron Limited, a software company for the mold and die design market. Gibbs is among the dozen companies from the Valley region with a booth at Westec, taking place March 31 to April 3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The annual show provides a forum for companies around the U.S. to showcase their equipment and announce new services or products. Gibbs, for instance, will introduce an updated version of its GibbsCAM software. This year, the trade show introduces its “back to basics” workforce development program aimed at steering high school and college students into high-paying engineering and technical careers. It is challenging for companies to find qualified workers, not necessarily for the high-tech positions but at the entry level, such as measurement skills and basic machinery operations, said Gary Mikola, director of events for the Society of Manufacturing Engineers. Booths on the show floor will give attendees the opportunity to talk with career counselors, learn about certified training programs and find out about industry pay scales, Mikola said. “For employers, it will give them a chance to see what training is available,” Mikola said. Attracting qualified workers will also be among the topics to be addressed at the 2008 Manufacturing & Distribution Forum taking place on March 19. The forum is presented by the Valley Industry & Commerce Association and Los Angeles City Councilman Greig Smith. (The Business Journal is a co-sponsor of the event). The half-day conference is a response to the needs of manufacturers as communicated by VICA members, said President Brendan Huffman. Smith chairs the city council’s new Jobs, Business Growth & Tax Reform Committee and has led a business council in his district for years. He is committed to preserving the northeast Valley industrial area as one for jobs and industry, Smith said. “This manufacturing forum is a great example of how we can use public/private partnerships to bring resources to assist the manufacturers in the San Fernando Valley and help them stay competitive,” Smith said. The forum includes a legislative update on energy, environment and other policy issues; and panel discussions on winning the workforce battle, and the finance and M & A; climate. Keynote speakers are Tom Murphy, executive vice president of manufacturing and wholesale distribution for professional services firm RSM McGladrey, and Jack Stewart, president of the California Manufacturers & Technology Association.
