Kennametal CEO Debunks Manufacturing Myths and Calls on Industry Leaders to Remake the American Dream

LATROBE, Pa., May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal Inc. (NYSE: KMT) Chairman, President and CEO Carlos Cardoso debunked common myths about manufacturing and encouraged manufacturing leaders to be the change the industry needs to remake the American dream as he addressed an audience as keynote speaker at the Industry Week Best Plants conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on May 7. Visit Cardoso's interview with Industry Week from after the keynote.

"If we don't turn these myths around, we won't be able to find the skilled people we need to fill the jobs we have today, nor for the massive wave of retirements we face," Cardoso said. "In my opinion, this is nothing short of a national emergency."

With more than half a million high-paying manufacturing jobs available right now and more to come as nearly 2.7 million Baby Boomers retire from the industry in the next decade, Cardoso calls for action from industry leaders to 'be the change' through advocacy, collaboration and educational engagement including:

• Stronger coordination and accountability across federal and state workforce programs as well as direct industry involvement at regional levels to ensure funding programs that deliver results.
• Greater collaboration crossing industry lines into academia and public and private sectors to resolve the challenges we face and foster more innovative solutions.
• Better involvement with educational institutions in the community to provide expertise in curriculum development for students, teachers and guidance counselors to highlight career opportunities in manufacturing.

"The success of so many young people, as well as the future of our industry and economy, depends on our ability to change things today," said Cardoso. "I hope you'll join me in this movement, which is about so much more than manufacturing. It is about everything we hold dear to our nation's promise; our American Dream of freedom, prosperity and opportunity, for generations to come."

Named one of America's "Best Chief Executive Officers" (Institutional Investor), Carlos Cardoso serves as chairman of the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI); on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and its Workforce Task Force; and on the U.S. Manufacturing Council, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Workforce Development and Manufacturing Perceptions. In addition to Kennametal's extensive talent development efforts, Cardoso in 2012 founded the company's Young Engineers Program, offering advanced manufacturing curriculum and career practicum for high school students.

Celebrating more than 75 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers seeking peak performance in demanding environments. The company provides innovative wear-resistant products, application engineering and services backed by advanced material science, serving customers in 60 countries across diverse sectors of aerospace, earthworks, energy, industrial production, transportation and infrastructure. With approximately 14,000 employees and nearly $3 billion in sales, the company realizes half of its revenue from outside North America, and 40% globally from innovations introduced in the past five years. Recognized among the "World's Most Ethical Companies" (Ethisphere); "Outstanding Corporate Innovator" (Product Development Management Association); and "America's Safest Companies" (EHS Today) with a focus on 100% safety, Kennametal and its foundation invest in technical education, industrial technologies and material science to deliver the promise of progress and economic prosperity to people everywhere. For more information, visit the company's website at www.kennametal.com.

SOURCE Kennametal Inc.