Manufacturing Renaissance Series

How Do We Go from Shale to a Manufacturing Renaissance?

Thursday, January 23, 2014
Houston Advanced Research Center
4800 Research Forest Drive
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Background: 

A number of companies[1] have indicated plans to build, restart, or expand their petrochemical manufacturing facilities in the United States.  Petrochemicals derived from natural gas liquids found in shale are the beginning of a manufacturing supply chain that affects a large swath of products. 

Source:http://www.shell.com/home/content/chemicals/aboutshell/our_strategy/marcellus_cracker_project/petrochemical_production/

Innovative technologies, manufacturing approaches, and policy mechanisms may be needed to maximize this potential.  This is the first of a series of discussions that will lay the groundwork for a manufacturing renaissance roadmap that could apply to any region that possesses a shale play rich in natural gas liquids.

Mission:

The mission of the Manufacturing Renaissance Series is to provide an educational forum for decision makers, industry leaders, and top academics to discuss the manufacturing supply chain in detail, the potential impacts of responsible shale development, and the role of, and need for, innovation. The agenda below represents the first event, which is intended to set the stage for future, more detailed discussions to take place in Three Rivers Economic Region – Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia – the Gulf Economic Region and Washington, DC.

Participants representing a variety of perspectives will be invited to engage in this series, including experts from academia, industry, government at all levels, workforce and environment, just to name a few.

This event, convened by Carnegie Mellon University and the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, will be a day of brief presentations and robust discussion, followed by a planning session to identify key topics that will require in-depth discussion during future events.  Subsequent symposia will explore practices and policies that have an impact on the manufacturing supply chain.  The ultimate goal of this series is to lay the groundwork for construction of a manufacturing renaissance roadmap that could apply to this and other regions in the United States.

Click here for a current agenda.