IMA hosting “Makers on the Move” statewide bus tour

Posted on October 9, 2023
The makers tour featured a stop in Springfield Monday morning. (Photo courtesy: Dave Dahl/WJBC)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD – You just might see a big, 56-foot bus wrapped in blue and green, festooned with the logos of Illinois manufacturers.

It’s the second annual “Makers on the Move” bus tour, put on by the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center.

“No doubt, every day is an excellent opportunity to recognize the promise and the potential that manufacturing offers,” said IMEC president David Boulay, “and this tour is a fantastic platform for all of us to share our inspiring stories.”

Asked what he makes of the fact that some of the “makers” in Illinois and other states are currently on strike, IMA president Mark Denzler said, “I appreciate the question,” before continuing: “We hope that it gets settled sooner rather than later. Illinois has a very strong automotive supply chain with thousands of jobs; again, these are good-paying jobs. I think Ford, for example, has made a very fair offer, but, ultimately, we hope that gets settled, and everyone gets back to work.”

The tour is expected to top two dozen stops over eight days.

Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected].

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