SOUTHEAST Exhibitor: QualiChem, Inc. manufactures some of the most advanced metalworking fluids available in the world. Our product line includes water dilutable coolants, straight oils, metal forming fluids, cleaners, and rust & corrosion inhibitors. As a global supplier, our fluids meet all of the relevant health & safety regulations, including GHS & REACH.
SOUTHEAST Exhibitor: Providing high-precision Swiss tooling for a broad spectrum of industries and applications the world over, REGO-FIX® brings the latest in innovation and technology to the industrial manufacturing industry. Inventor of the original ER collet system, the company is known around the globe for quality, value and solutions that help increase manufacturing productivity. REGO-FIX designs, manufactures and tests all its toolholders in a state-of-the-art, ISO certified facility in Switzerland and boast an advanced product mix that includes the patented PowRgrip® System. A fast, high-clamping press fit force, PowRgrip is accurate alternative to shrink fit holders. REGO-FIX’s products work together interchangeably, resulting in the flexibility to create solutions that provide manufacturing with the industry’s best accuracy, balancing and tool life.
SOUTHEAST Exhibitor: Manufacturing Rep Firm specializing in cutting tool applications.
SOUTHEAST Exhibitor: Walter is one of the world's leading metalworking companies. As provider of machining solutions, Walter offers a wide range of precision tools for milling, turning, drilling, and threading applications. Walter works together with its customers to provide optimum solutions for fully machining components for use in aerospace, automotive, medical and energy industries, as well as general engineering. The company demonstrates its Engineering Kompetenz at every stage of the machining process. As an innovative partner capable of creating efficient process solutions, Walter is focused on providing excellent productivity and reliability for all machining processes. With Regional Headquarters in Greer, SC, Walter markets its competence brands Walter, Walter Titex, Walter Prototyp and Walter Multiply through a network of channel partners and field engineers across the USA, Canada, Mexico and Brazil.
SOUTHEAST Exhibitor: Precision. Performance. Productivity. Crotts & Saunders invites you to experience powerhouse manufacturing technology from industry leaders Mazak, MC Machinery, Agile Robot Systems, and Ultra Tech—all under one roof. Stop by our booth to see live machining and automation demonstrations designed to help your shop achieve more throughput, less downtime, and higher ROI. Featured Equipment Mazak VC-EZ 20 Discover precision and versatility on this vertical machining center—featuring Mazak’s Smooth G Control for advanced motion, simplified programming, and unmatched efficiency. Mazak QT-EZ 10 + Agile Robot System See how a fully integrated Agile robotic cell automates part loading and unloading, boosting spindle uptime and eliminating operator bottlenecks. Mitsubishi EDM MV1200 S MC Machinery’s industry-leading EDM delivers incredible accuracy, reliability, and wire-cut performance—perfect for toolrooms and production environments alike. Ultra Tech Cobot Combo System A ready-to-run collaborative robot package engineered for machine tending, inspection, or part handling—configurable, flexible, and built for fast ROI. Get hands-on with cutting-edge machining, metrology, and automation solutions. Meet our experts, explore turnkey system options, and discover how Crotts & Saunders helps manufacturers in the Carolinas and Virginia push productivity further.
SOUTHEAST Session: Manufacturers today face a critical workforce challenge. An aging labor pool, persistent skills shortages, and post-pandemic attrition have created gaps that traditional hiring alone cannot solve. These pressures demand innovative approaches to sustaining productivity and competitiveness. Robotics offers a practical, scalable solution, not as a replacement for people, but as a partner that augments human capabilities. Collaborative robots (cobots) are designed to work alongside operators, taking on repetitive, physically demanding, or hazardous tasks. This partnership allows employees to focus on higher-value activities such as quality control, process improvement, and customer engagement. Studies show that human–robot teams significantly reduce idle time and improve throughput compared to all-human work environments. Real-world examples illustrate the shift. Chipotle’s “Autocado” robot automates the tedious process of cutting and coring avocados, while staff concentrate on quality and service. On manufacturing floors, cobots assist with material handling, precision assembly, and inspection; areas where ergonomics and consistency are critical. Rather than eliminating jobs, robotics transforms them, creating safer workplaces and more sustainable operations. This session, “Robotics as a Partner, Not a Replacement, for Manufacturing Jobs,” will explore how manufacturers can strategically adopt robotics to address workforce shortages without diminishing employee value. Attendees will gain insights into the benefits of cobot integration, practical considerations for implementation, and the long-term potential of human–robot collaboration. The presentation emphasizes that the future of manufacturing is not a choice between people and machines, but a partnership that strengthens both.
SOUTHEAST Session: Your next efficiency breakthrough isn't hiding in a machine learning algorithm. It's walking around your shop floor right now. While manufacturing obsesses over AI, 85% of operations still depend on human expertise. The CNC programmer who knows exactly when to adjust spindle speeds. The veteran welder who spots perfect joints in seconds. The setup technician whose alignment cuts cycle times. These operators don't just run your processes, they've mastered them. They hold the institutional knowledge that separates good production from great production. But your systems can't see what they know, creating a costly blind spot. Mid-market manufacturers nationwide face the same challenge: valuable knowledge trapped in individual heads instead of being scaled digitally. The result is lost efficiency because operator expertise can’t integrate with core systems. Companies overcoming this aren’t layering more machine learning. They’re building systems that amplify human intelligence. They digitize workflows, connect teams to real-time data, and create interfaces designed around how operators think and work, not the other way around. In this session, Docket will reveal how shop floor digitization platforms close the gap between operator expertise and digital execution. You’ll gain practical insights into smart manufacturing systems that support your frontline, enabling faster setups, higher accuracy, and smoother production. At a time when manufacturers chase the next big overhaul, don’t overlook the team that got you here. The goal isn’t replacing human insight, it’s designing systems that can multiply it.
SOUTHEAST Session: Unexpected breakdowns, rising costs, and limited asset visibility continue to be a challenge for manufacturers, especially as teams face mounting pressure to do more with less – fewer technicians, tighter budgets, and limited time. But with the right technology and a practical approach to reliability, lean teams can shift from fighting fires to building long-term, operational resilience into every layer of production. In this session, we’ll showcase how manufacturers are using modern CMMS (Computerized Maintenance Management System) tools to drive higher uptime, extend asset life, and reduce reactive work – all without needing additional headcount or new equipment. We’ll demonstrate how top performing teams have digitized preventive maintenance schedules, deployed QR code-enabled work orders, and built mobile-first maintenance workflows that keep machines running and teams aligned. Whether you’re still using spreadsheets or looking to get more out of your current system, this session will provide a clear blueprint for building a smart, scalable maintenance program.
SOUTHEAST Session: As global manufacturing enters the next wave of industrial transformation, the convergence of digital threads and IoT is reshaping the way products are designed, built, and maintained. A digital thread creates a seamless flow of data across the product lifecycle — from design and engineering to production and aftermarket service. When paired with IoT-enabled smart factories, this integration unlocks unprecedented operational visibility, agility, and intelligence. This session explores how manufacturers are leveraging IoT to create connected ecosystems that power predictive maintenance, real-time quality control, autonomous operations, and closed-loop decision-making. We will discuss practical frameworks for implementing digital threads and highlight ROI-driven success stories from discrete and process manufacturing.
SOUTHEAST Session: The South Carolina APEX Accelerator, part of the national APEX Accelerators network administered by the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Small Business Programs, empowers businesses to compete in the government marketplace. This presentation provides an overview of how the SC APEX Accelerator supports companies through market research, bid-matching services, development of market materials, contract management and guidance on federal, state, and local certifications at no-cost to their clients. Attendees will learn how SC APEX Accelerator can assist them in navigating the government contracting marketplace while leveraging key programs and resources such as the Mentor-Protégé Program and Small Business Administration to expand their overall reach.