Smart Manufacturing Leadership Coalition

During 2019, having novated the Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement DE-EE0007613-0008 to the University of California, Los Angeles in late 2018 and in addition to ensuring that all of its responsibilities relating to the novation were fulfilled, SMLC transitioned from its focus on implementing the Clean Energy Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CESMII) under the umbrella of the DOE Cooperative Agreement to developing a plan to focus on emerging industry needs as a forum for collaboration among its members. Continuing into 2020, extensive discussions about strategy, goals and objectives were held and drafts of potential charters and mission statements were developed and shared with the SMLC Board. A consensus emerged and resulted in the development of a "Future Directions" webinar highlighting SMLC's future role as a forum for collaboration accelerating industry-wide, innovative, and affordable network-based smart manufacturing as well as SMLC's continued member-focus with its activities suggested and prioritized by its members.