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Does your business have a Facebook page and a Twitter account? Some manufacturers are still skeptical about the value of social media, but it’s important to have what Hootsuite’s Evan Lepage calls “reference points” about your company. In the Internet Age, prospects and customers go on-line to find information – and they visit more than just company websites. Using search results, what will they learn about you?

CES isn’t just about geeks, gadgets, and gizmos anymore. Sure, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is targeted at techies. But that doesn’t mean the annual event is a glorified Star Trek convention.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is reporting that its Empire State Manufacturing index rose to 10 this month after dropping to -1.23 in December. Any reading above zero indicates economic expansion, and the January 2015 survey of New York State manufacturers looks promising.

P1 Industries plans to build a million-dollar innovation lab in Scotia that will add design, development, and prototyping to its portfolio of manufacturing services. Founded by David Dussault, an Albany-area industrial entrepreneur, the Schenectady company employs 85 people and earns nearly $20 million in revenue. Formerly known as DHA Holdings, P1 Industries makes parts for the oil and gas and power generation industries.

ThermoAura is a Capital Region startup that manufactures a nano-enhanced thermoelectric material that’s 25% more efficient and costs 40% less to produce than competitor offerings. Founded in June 2011 by Dr. Rutvik Metha, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), the company is continuing is successful transition from university laboratory to commercial manufacturing.

John Zegers, the director of the Georgia Center of Innovation for Manufacturing, is predicting “a landmark year for American manufacturing in 2015.” In an article for Manufacturing.Net, the former manufacturers’ representative explains that “a convergence of activities” will help U.S. companies to grow, change, and compete.

What is the future of manufacturing in 2015? According to Michael Kotelec of Verizon Enterprise Solutions, there are five trends that will cause manufacturers to adjust their supply chains and modify their business models in the new year. Kotelec’s Industry Week predictions apply globally, but which trends will affect New York State manufacturers the most?