Dennis Thompson wants to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. and he has a plan to do it, starting with Pittsburgh.
Thompson founded DSN Innovations, Dynamic Supply Network, the evolution of traditional supply chains. Formerly the Doyle Center for Manufacturing Technology, DSN works with large manufacturers and organizations to help them connect with small and medium sized companies to streamline the supply chain.
The system is called network centric manufacturing. This month DSN sponsored a second international forum on the process, which has attracted the attention of large global manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
With the downturn of the national economy and the rising price of oil, manufacturers can no longer afford to ship containers around the world, says Thompson, president and CEO. “Manufacturing has to do something different if it’s going to survive. We’re creating and testing a model that gives domestic manufacturers an opportunity to become competitive in supply chains.”
The former senior vice president of Catalyst Connections with 30 years in the industry, Thompson hopes to make the system a reality in five years. Located on Technology Drive, the company plans to double in size by next year with the addition of 8 employees to its existing staff of 8, adding a controller, engineers and a program manager.
“We hope to start a trend that will slow down the loss of manufacturing in this country and start it growing again,” Thompson says. “We want to take care of people in our backyard first and grow it nationally. In five years, we hope network centric manufacturing is a household word.”
Writer: Deb Smit
Source: Dennis Thompson, DSN Innovations
Image courtesy DSN Innovations