Frequently Asked Questions
Today we are going to tackle some of the most commonly asked questions we get when meeting with new people!
When did MTS begin?
South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions began in 2010 with the help of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. For almost a decade, we have been working with manufacturers to help them increase their sales, create jobs, and invest in new equipment.
What do you do?
The easiest way to explain what we do is to say we are full-service manufacturing consulting agency. Whether it’s training your team on the basics of lean manufacturing or visiting your factory floor to examine how you can to improve your operations, we can do it all. We are here to assist manufacturers with whatever they need. If we are not an expert in what you need, then we will connect you with someone who is. Never be afraid to reach out to us to see how we can help. We have a team of business advisors with years of manufacturing experience who make it their personal mission to advance manufacturing in our state.
Where does your funding come from?
We get funding from three main sources. First, we get federal funding from the MEP program under the National Institute of Standards and Technology. We are a part of a unique public-private partnership that is focused on helping small and medium-sized manufacturers generate business results in today’s technology-driven economy. There is a MEP center every state with the sole purpose of strengthening U.S. manufacturing. South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions is the representative for South Dakota. Secondly, we receive funding from the State and lastly we charge for our services. From our experience, if companies do not have any skin in the game, positive change is unlikely to occur.
What is the South Dakota Manufacturers’ Day Summit?
The South Dakota Manufacturers’ Day Summit is an all-day conference we host every year to learn, grow, and connect with manufacturers to advance and strengthen South Dakota manufacturing. The Summit rotates every year between technical schools and brings together a large group of manufacturers, students, and stakeholders. In 2019, we had two Summits, with one being at Western Dakota Tech in Rapid City and the other following two days later at Lake Area Tech in Watertown. Next year we will have our Summit at Mitchell Tech on September 10, 2020.
How many employees work there?
Currently we have seven full-time employees with the capacity to fill two more spots. While our main office is in Sioux Falls, we have a business advisor located in Rapid City and Aberdeen to help cover the state.
Where do you see your organization in the future?
In the future, we want to continue to empower manufacturers. We hope to spread more awareness about our organization so manufacturers know where to turn when they need a trusted advisor. Ultimately, we want manufacturers to be educated, growing, and embracing new technology advancements, so that they can achieve their business goals and impact the state in a positive way!
