DEARBORN, MI - The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) is presenting a Lean to Green Manufacturing Conference in Columbus, OH, Oct. 26-29, 2010. The conference will help practitioners better understand how green efforts can create growth and improve competitiveness.

The demand for sustainability is growing stronger every day, and manufacturers are looking for ways to comply in order to reduce their impact on the environment and increase profitability. Many are discovering that lean practices, which seek to eliminate all forms of waste, offer effective tools for sustainable manufacturing.

The conference features presentations, workshops and case studies of successful methods attendees can immediately implement to reduce environmental concerns and enact changes in their manufacturing operations.

Session topics include: Creating a Sustainable Facility through Energy Efficiency Design; Energy Efficiency through Lean - Government and Industry Lessons in Collaboration; Best Practices in Being Green, Productive and Profitable; Increasing Sustainability of Lean Sigma Six - Environmental Wastes Audit; and Design for Sustainability - Integrating Life-Cycle Thinking.

Conference sponsor, Green Energy Ohio (GEO), is hosting a pre-conference business-to-business workshop showcasing Ohio companies using clean energy systems and incentives.

The Lean to Green Manufacturing Conference also includes a panel discussion and case histories on the U.S. EPA’s E3 initiatives. The E3: Economy Energy and Environment program, designed as a model for collaboration among manufacturers, utilities, municipal governments and federal agencies, is already saving manufacturers millions of dollars annually.

The conference is sponsored by Green Energy Ohio, the EPA and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. For additional information, visit www.sme.org/l2g.