Networking Opportunities and Technical Learning at SMTA Wisconsin

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

One of the exhibitors was the University of Wisconsin-Platteville sharing information on their world-class engineering courses available in-person and online. In my conversation with their representatives, we discussed the growing interest in mechatronics and the Huff Innovation Lab, which is available to help bring new ideas to reality.

At these events, the day goes by fast, and before you know it, you are saying goodbye to your old and new friends. These SMTA Expo events take place worldwide and provide a great opportunity for members and exhibitors in each region to meet up, learn, and grow. For more information on upcoming events, visit SMTA.org

At the event, I connected with Paul Wilson and past president Mike Kreiter to learn more about their chapter.

Barry Matties: Paul, why is an event like this important to the industry?

Paul Wilson: We're trying to get as much representation as possible from companies around southeastern Wisconsin and even reach into other areas in Illinois, Michigan, and Minnesota. We're trying to showcase the different companies and incorporate members inside our chapter, connect them, and share best practices and ideas.

Matties: When you look at the event's history, do any trends or moments stand out?

Wilson: I've been involved for a while, but I've only been the chapter president for the last couple of years here. We've been a strong chapter with our expos for years, and it's been a very good and well-attended event, both by suppliers and attendees walking through.

We postponed our event during the pandemic, and it was rough getting going again. Last year was our first year back, so the highlight for me is that we're back and stronger than ever.

Matties: Did the expo meet your expectations this year?

Wilson: Yes, definitely.

Matties: Mike, what's your takeaway as past president?

Mike Kreiter: I am very pleased with the result. Our exhibit spaces sold out. We had a goal of 100 pre-registered attendees and ended up with 115. We were hooting and hollering with that. We had 90 boots walk through the door. So, the real positive is that we have a strong officer team, and we all did what needed to be done.

Matties: Why are the other chapter events beyond expos important as well?

Kreiter: We have a nice blend of technical meetings. One of our chapter bylaws is to learn new things. Even if it's irrelevant today, it might be relevant next year. We're always trying to learn. But the social aspect is also important, so we have events, like a golf outing, and attending a Brewers game. A few years ago, we had an Edelweiss cruise on the Milwaukee River that went through downtown. It was a “beer and brat” cruise that everyone enjoyed and remembered.

Wilson: For our technical sessions, we like to tour a facility and see some of its practices. We visited WAGO in Germantown, Wisconsin, last fall. They have a unique stocking situation, automated bin retrieval, and put-away bins. After the tour, there's usually a meal, so it's a time to network and socialize with other companies.

Matties: Do you have any final thoughts you'd like to share with the industry?

Kreiter: I echo the learning part of becoming a member. It’s always nice to learn something, but you can have some fun along the way while building your network. We have a large group of young engineers, and I really stress the importance of making contacts in the industry. I’ll tell them, “If I don't know the answer, I share, and within two calls, someone will have that answer.” I am proud of our chapter and glad it's going well.

Wilson: We have a great team of chapter officers, and it's wonderful to work with everybody. As the saying goes, many hands make easy lifting. Everybody steps up and does their job, making us a very successful chapter.

I also love the idea of learning something I can try the next day. There's some great theoretical stuff out there, like how to adjust my machine to eliminate a quality issue or finding out how someone else has solved a problem. In our keynote panel discussion, Joe talked about changing the speed of the blowers; I had never thought of that. Now I want to change the speed on my blowers and see what that does.

It's those little tips and tricks that you can't get any other way except from talking to people or talking to the experts. As I look around the room, I see others with that same idea saying to themselves, “Yeah, we should try that when we get back home.” That's the bread and butter right there. It's what makes me want to keep sharing this information, and it's so neat to see that happen.

Matties: Gentlemen, thank you so much. It was wonderful being there, and I'm absolutely looking forward to the next expo. I enjoyed myself.

Wilson: Thanks, Barry. I appreciate it.

Kreiter: Thank you.

• < Previous Page