Business

More than 300 students from Pender and New Hanover counties learned about 21 local manufacturing employers, offering a wide variety of different services and positions. With a shipping crisis still affecting the U.S. and skilled workers still needed, the event gave students a chance to learn about options other than four-year universities that provide well-paying jobs.

Manufacturing firms in the Wilmington area are facing workforce issues, including shortages of workers and the need for employees looking for a long-term career.These issues and more led to the formation of the Cape Fear Manufacturing Partnership, a group of 27 manufacturing executives that started meeting last fall. The group represents the region’s varying industries and wide range of locally manufactured products.Joining us for Thursday’s WilmingtonBiz Talk are two manufacturing officials involved in the partnership who will discuss the industry and its challenges.The panel:- Jim Flock, General Manager, Hsm Machine Works- Steve Janz, Vice President of International Sales, Flow Sciences, Inc.

A manufacturer of landing gear components for the aviation and aerospace business in Brunswick County continues to grow despite the overall impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry.

HSM Machine Works, a division of the Italy-based Magnaghi Aeronautica Group, has been updating equipment, growing capabilities and aggressively working to train and upgrade the skills of its workforce to support work at the firm’s Leland facility, said James Flock, general manager of the local operation.

HSM Machine Works has been in the Cape Fear area since 1991, Flock said.

A new initiative is in the works to bring together manufacturing partners to help solve

A local manufacturer of orthodontic dental brackets has grown its production in Leland over the