Roundtable event connects manufacturers with local leaders, federal business advocates - Chronicle Media
Fostering unity, resiliency and growth was the theme of the first-ever Northern Illinois Manufacturing Leadership Roundtable held recently at Ultra Stamping and Assembly plant in Rockford.
John Ekberg (right) co-owner of Circle Boring & Machine Co. , gives a tour of his company to (from left) Willette LeGrant, Illinois district director of the U. S. Small Business Administration, Brad Zaun, acting Great Lakes regional administrator for the U. S. SBA, and Joe Krenzelok SBA regional advocate for Region 7. (Photo by Lynne Conner / for Chronicle Media)Fostering unity, resiliency and growth was the theme of the first-ever Northern Illinois Manufacturing Leadership Roundtable held recently at Ultra Stamping and Assembly plant in Rockford. The event, organized by Rockford Manufacturing Collective founders Derek Sherman and Eric Canada, included tours of three Rockford-based, family-owned manufacturers, remarks from local leaders and a roundtable with Rockford industry leaders and U. S. Small Business Administration representatives. “Manufacturing is critically important to Rockford and Winnebago County. ” Canada said. “It is a $4. 4 billion annual infusion of cash from outside the local market, with $2. 78 billion going directly into payroll and benefits for Winnebago County resident. However, since 1990, the Rockford metropolitan area has lost almost 20,000 manufacturing jobs, due in part to automation and enhanced productivity. ”These sobering statistics are what led Canada and Sherman to establish the RMC in April 2025. Through the collective, larger companies can obtain competitive bids for machining, fabrication, and finishing from 70-plus vetted Rockford-area contract manufacturers. According to officials the roundtable event was intended to serve the dual purpose of showing SBA representatives the impact small manufacturers on the local economy and connecting these manufacturers with SBA programs. John Ekberg, co-owner of Circle Boring & Machine Co. , led federal representatives through his machine shop and discussed the challenges his company faces. “In our shop’s 60-plus years in business, we have seen a huge manufacturing drop-off in the region during the last 30 years,” Ekberg said. “We have been attracting new clients, but finding the workforce to operate our machines has been challenging. We require highly skilled machinists in our shop who have years of training. If the Rockford Promise program provided tuition aid for students pursuing skilled labor jobs, it would boost the manufacturing workforce. ”Rockford Promise offers full-tuition scholarships to Rockford public school graduates seeking a college degree at Northern Illinois University, Rockford University, Rock Valley College or Saint Anthony College of Nursing. While local community colleges offer programs for skilled labor jobs, vocational training is not part of Rockford Promise. “During the 1950s and 1960s when Rockford was at its manufacturing peak, 40 percent of the workforce held factory jobs, and the city prospered,” Ekberg said. “This shows the importance of manufacturing jobs on a region’s economy. “I’m passionate about creating and sustaining manufacturing jobs in the Rockford area because these jobs bring new money into the local economy,” he said. “While other jobs in healthcare and in service industries are certainly important, manufacturing jobs attract wealth from clients outside our metropolitan area. ”SBA representatives also toured Chem Processing and Ultra Stamping & Assembly Inc. Gordy Cushman, VP of operations at Ultra, told SBA representatives how tariffs are affecting his business. “We use two types of copper alloys in some of the components we produce,” he said. “Since both of these alloys come from Germany, and can’t be sourced in the U. S. , they are subject to tariffs. Months ago, only the copper portion of these alloys was tariffed at 50 percent; now the entire invoice is taxed at 50 percent. “Ultra Stamping has to pay these tariffs, which increases the total price of our components, leaving us no choice but to pass that extra cost onto our customers,” Cushman said. “Furthermore, the tariffs change every time we order raw materials, making this whole process extremely frustrating and unpredictable. ”As part of the Leadership Roundtable, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara shared how his administration is helping small manufacturing businesses. “Manufacturing in the city of Rockford is absolutely critically important, as 19 to 20 percent of our residents are employed in manufacturing,” McNamara said. “These are not just jobs; they are careers. They are good-paying careers that raise families in our community and help stabilize our city. “When I took office, we had 30 bridges that had load restrictions or bridges that were closed. That’s not good for your businesses. It means longer detours, more gas, more maintenance on your vehicles, and longer times to get supplies from one place to another,” he said. “We have invested historic amounts of money into infrastructure each of the last four years,” McNamara said. “Last year it was $96 million; this year it’s $150 million. We are down to six bridges that need improvements, so they don’t have those load restrictions directly impacting your businesses. ”Brad Zaun, acting SBA Great Lakes regional administrator, outlined the four-part “Made in America Manufacturing Initiative,” which focuses on revitalizing U. S. manufacturing. “What Eric and Derek have done locally with the RMC should be an example to other municipalities,” Zaun said. “As the collective promotes local manufacturers here and abroad, the U. S. SBA provides manufacturers with crucial business-building resources. “Manufacturers face many challenges, but the resources within the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative help cut regulations, expand access to capital, develop your workforce and support infrastructure,” Zaun said. Made in America offers manufacturers access to five SBA lending programs, regulatory relief through the Office of Advocacy and links to a national ombudsman. The workforce development component helps manufacturers coordinate with apprenticeship programs and veteran employment services. More information on the RMC is available atwww. synchronistlab. orgMore information on the Made in America Manufacturing Initiative is available atwww. sba. gov/manufacturing.